Czech Railways Launches Tender for Push-Pull EMU Carriages

Czech Railways (ČD) has officially launched a tender for unpowered carriages for long-distance transport, planning to purchase up to 10 train sets under a "3 sets first + 7 sets optional" model. It will first confirm the order of 3 sets to meet current needs, while the remaining 7 sets will be kept as options and procured promptly when operational demand increases in the future. This plan stems from the positive feedback from passengers and international partners since the modern ComfortJet unpowered trains were put into service.

Jiří Ježeta, Deputy Director General of ČD's Passenger Transport Department, stated that the railway will sign a framework agreement on train delivery with the winning bidder. He emphasized, "Even in the early stage of ComfortJet's operation, we have received positive responses from passengers and partners. Obviously, the train configuration of 'unpowered carriages + modern locomotives' has great potential for developing international transport and strengthening transport connections between the Czech Republic and its neighboring countries."

The 10 sets of unpowered trains in this tender consist of a total of 90 carriages, with a total passenger capacity of approximately 550 seats (including about 100 first-class seats), and clear technical requirements: the maximum operating speed must reach 230 km/h, and the trains must obtain operational certifications from 7 countries (the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland) to ensure cross-border operation capabilities. At the same time, the trains must be compatible with Siemens Vectron locomotives and support push-pull bidirectional operation (no need to turn the train around), significantly improving operational efficiency.

Previously, Czech Railways had identified "upgrading the comfort and quality of long-distance travel" as a priority, and clearly stated in its vehicle renewal plan that 14 out of the 20 newly purchased trains would be put into operation. This spring, the first batch of 9-carriage ComfortJet trains manufactured by the Siemens-Skoda consortium was officially put into service. The new tender and procurement plan will further expand the scale of this series of trains, providing support for the upgrading of Czech long-distance and international railway transport.