A two-day test drive to start using electric trains on the Moravian railway tracks. Photo Credit: JMK
Brno, 9 Sept. (BD) – At 5.30am yesterday, a two-car Moravia train set off from Brno’s lower train station to Tišnov for its first test run with passengers. Engineers will test the new train on the South Moravian tracks for two days. The train will carry passengers on the S3 line (Tišnov – Brno – Židlochovice).
Testing new passenger trains can present pitfalls, as the vehicle may have to be tuned at various times of the day and the train may not last all day in service. “I hope it was a positive surprise for people when they unexpectedly took a ride on the new train,” said Jan Grolich, the governor.of South Moravia. “I am especially glad that they are already starting to run. The sooner they pass all the tests, the sooner they will replace decades-old trains,”
“We want to get people back on public transport, back on trains, and thanks to modern rail units, this can be done. The Railway Authority will decide on the further deployment of the new regional trains into service,” said Regional councillor for transport, Jiří Crha.
“The vehicle passed all the necessary tests required by European and national legislation,” added Tomáš Ignačák, President of the CZ/SK Region of Škoda Group. “Running on railway tracks with passengers is the last test, a real ride which cannot be simulated within the standard type tests. After successful test operation, the customer will not only receive a safe vehicle from the point of view of passengers and operators, but also a vehicle fully tested and qualified for regular operation with maximum reliability.”
The South Moravian Region was the first region in the Czech Republic to purchase its own trains; the 37 electric railway units cost CZK 6.651 billion (excluding VAT). The region will draw on a subsidy of CZK 5.5 billion from the European Union’s Operational Transport Programme for the new vehicles, covering approximately 85% of the price. These are 31 four-car units (333 seats) and six two-car units (146 seats) with a modern European Train Control System (ETCS), reaching speeds of up to 160 km/h.
The new electric trains will run mainly on two backbone lines – S2 (Křenovice – Sokolnice – Brno – Blansko – Skalice nad Svitavou – Letovice), S3 (Níhov – Tišnov – Brno hl. n. – Vranovice – Šakvice – Hustopeče / Tišnov – Brno hl. S2 (Křenovice – Sokolnice – Brno – Blansko – Skalice nad Svitavou – Letovice), S3 (Níhov – Tišnov – Brno hl – Vranovice – Šakvice – Hustopeče / Tišnov – Brno hl – Židlochovice). They will also be deployed on lines S51 (Šakvice – Břeclav) and partly also S9 (Břeclav – Hodonín).
The first carrier to operate the units is České dráhy. From December 2024, the units will be operated by the carrier that emerges from the tender.