PKP Intercity orders 32 more Griffin 200 locomotives

POLAND: PKP Intercity has exercised the option for 32 additional Griffin 200 multi-system electric locomotives from Newag, increasing the number covered by its January 2024 contract from 63 to 95. Together with 15 Griffin 200s ordered previously, PKP Intercity will eventually operate 110 of the locomotives.

The additional 32 locomotives are valued at 775.3m złoty net, or 953.65m złoty gross. The price may be adjusted through future indexation. PKP Intercity announced the additional order on September 8, and Newag has 14 working days to submit a detailed delivery schedule.

Deliveries under the original contract are progressing according to plan. PKP Intercity has so far received 12 of the 63 locomotives, with 20 expected to be in service by the end of 2026. The basic order is due to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2028. The option locomotives will be technically identical to those already ordered, with no design changes.

Multi-system locomotives

The 200 km/h Griffin 200 is a three-system locomotive capable of operating under 3 kV DC, 15 kV AC and 25 kV 50 Hz power supplies, allowing it to run in Poland and, subject to national authorisations, in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. PKP Intercity plans to use the locomotives on domestic routes, including Warszawa to Gdynia, Poznań, Wrocław, Katowice and Kraków, as well as on international services to Praha, Budapest, Wien and Berlin.

Newag has completed certification testing and applied for authorisation extensions in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Commercial operation in the Czech Republic is planned from December 2026, while approval for Germany and Austria remains in progress.

Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak said the expanded order would strengthen both PKP Intercity’s fleet and Poland’s railway industry. ‘We are investing in modern and reliable rolling stock because a strong railway supports the economy and provides a convenient alternative to road transport’, he said.

Expanding international rail travel

PKP Group CEO Alan Beroud described the Griffin 200 as an important step towards expanding international rail travel. ‘These locomotives support the integration of European railway networks and the development of TEN-T corridors’, he said.

PKP Intercity says the Griffin locomotives have shown low failure and defect rates compared with its existing fleet, improving reliability and reducing the need for replacement rolling stock and maintenance costs per km.

Newag CEO Zbigniew Konieczek welcomed the option, saying the Griffin ‘is a design developed by Polish engineers over many years and has successfully passed the necessary tests. For a carrier such as PKP Intercity, reliability and fleet availability in daily operation are crucial.’