CZECH REPUBLIC: National operator ČD unveiled the first of its fleet of ComfortJet inter-city trainsets in Praha on April 9.
Speaking at the ceremony, Transport Minister Martin Kupka said the trains reflected the ‘qualitative leap’ which ČD’s rolling stock had gone through in the last few years. The push-pull trainsets equipped for operation at up to 230 km/h are due to enter service on a limited basis from the end of April. The operator envisages that they will initially be deployed on Praha – Bohumín and Bohumín – Praha – Františkovy Lázně services.
In April 2021 the national operator awarded a consortium of Siemens Mobility and Škoda Group a KC12·5bn order to supply 180 ComfortJet coaches, based on Siemens Mobility’s Viaggio Comfort range. The vehicles are to be formed as 20 nine-car rakes, each providing 555 seats including 99 in first class. The push-pull trainsets are intended to be paired with Siemens Vectron multi-system locomotives ordered in March 2022; these are due to be delivered from early 2025.
At the unveiling, ČD confirmed that it intended to introduce the fleet in a temporary configuration as seven-car formations without the Vectrain driving trailers or restaurant cars, because of delays in the authorisation of those vehicles. Deploying the remaining cars will help the operator address a shortage of serviceable rolling stock for domestic inter-city routes.
Once in squadron service, the ComfortJet trainsets are intended to be used on international services linking Praha with Berlin, Hamburg, København; Wien, Graz, Villach; and Bratislava and Budapest.
