The modernisation of the trains is the result of the contract between the South Moravian Region and the railway carrier ARRIVA from last year, when ARRIVA undertook to deploy the corresponding carriages in addition to operating lines in the south of the region. The contract with ARRIVA for the operation of the mentioned routes is for ten years. “Our long-term goal is to attract people to travel by train. The modernised trains offer all-round comfort, from air conditioning and internet access to space for transporting bicycles for cyclists. We pay CZK 231 million annually for 1.4 million kilometres travelled,” said Jiří Crha, Deputy Governor of the South Moravian Region.
The units of the Swiss manufacturer Stadler GTW were purchased by the carrier in Germany and will be deployed on IDS JMK trains on three lines:
- S8 Znojmo – Mikulov – Břeclav
- S52 Zaječí – Kobylí (- Hodonín)
- S91 Hodonín – Veselí nad Moravou – Velká nad Veličkou – Vrbovce (- Myjava)
“The trains will be running in an area where there are a lot of cyclists, so during the modernization we had the seating arrangement increased to provide more space for transporting bikes and strollers,” says Daniel Adamka, Managing Director of Arriva Česká Republika. The trains are low-floor and promise easier boarding and disembarking. Inside the cars, passengers will also find a vending machine for purchasing IDS JMK tickets and OneTicket national tickets. As part of the technical modifications to the vehicles, the units will be equipped for operation in the Czech Republic, and from December 2025 they will also be retrofitted with the ETCS system – a unified European train protection system.
The units will set off on the line in the colours of the South Moravian Region, which passengers know from Moravia trains. “I drive around stations or tracks across the region all the time and it always makes me happy when I meet one of our trains. I firmly believe that we will gradually manage to get beautiful and modern trains on most of the lines, which people in southern Moravia deserve,” said Jan Grolich, the Governor of South Moravian Region.
In order to modernise the deployed units, ARRIVA has concluded a contract with Škoda Group. The company has completed the modernisation of the first two units at its site in Šumperk on the expected date – at the end of March – and the others will follow at regular intervals.
“We are adapting the units for operation on the lines in the Czech Republic, and at the same time the interior is being modernised and revitalised. The trains meet the current standards of transport safety, including the installation of a train protection system, speedometer, radio station, modification of the driver’s station and the installation of a guidance system for the blind,” says Aleš Měrka, Vice President Service CZ&SK and East at Škoda Group.
