New trains for Bulgaria to come from the Czech Republic - a great success for the Pilsen-based Skoda Group
04.09.2024 / 15:10 | Aktualizováno: 10.09.2024 / 15:45
On Wednesday, 4 September 2024, in the Marble Hall of the Bulgarian Government building, a contract for the supply of 20 electric trains was signed between the CEO of the Skoda Group, Peter Novotny, and the Bulgarian Minister of Transport and Communications, Krasimira Stoyanova. The signing of the historic contract, which marks a new stage of cooperation between the Czech Republic and Bulgaria in the field of transport, took place under the auspices of the acting Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev.
Petr Novotny, CEO of the Skoda Group, said: "This is the beginning of a long-term relationship between Bulgaria and our company, which employs more than 10,000 people in seven production plants. Skoda's products are well known in Bulgaria, as our buses and trolleybuses run in five Bulgarian cities and we are currently producing a series of metro trains for Sofia".
Minister Stoyanova added that: "The delivery of these trains is an important step in the development of Bulgarian rail transport and thanked all those who made the difficult journey to sign the contract."
The contract, worth BGN 511.4 million (approx. EUR 262 million), includes the supply of 20 four-car units of type 18Ev, as well as the training of personnel and the provision of maintenance and repair services for a period of 15 years. All ordered trains will be delivered by August 2026. The cost of the new trains will be covered by the European Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). The contract also includes an option for the delivery of five additional trains of the same type, should the Bulgarian side decide to exercise this option.
The 18Ev electric trains, known as RegioPanter, will be similar to those successfully operated by the South Moravian Region in the Czech Republic. The trains will have a capacity of more than 300 passengers each and a top speed of 160 km/h. Bulgarian Railways plans to use them on the busy route between Sofia and the coastal cities of Burgas and Varna, as well as the city of Ruse on the border with Romania.
