SLOVENIA: SŽ Potniški Promet signed contracts worth €97·7m for the renewal of its long-distance train fleet on December 15. This aims to strengthen the national passenger operator’s position in the cross-border market as part of a broader rolling stock renewal programme.
Loco-hauled trains
Siemens Mobility has been awarded a €25·9m contract to supply four 200 km/h Vectron electric locomotives in April and May 2027.
These will be fitted with ETCS and equipped for 3 kV DC, 25 kV 50 Hz and 15 kV 16·7 Hz electrification systems. They will be authorised for operation in Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia and the Czech Republic, as well as on the 29 km route from the border at Villa Opicina to Trieste Centrale in Italy.
Magyar Vagon has been awarded a €71·8m contract to supply 20 IC+ coaches, including five with dedicated spaces for passengers with reduced mobility and for transporting bicycles. Delivery is scheduled for June to October 2028.
The 200 km/h coaches will have air-conditioning, wi-fi, passenger information and seat reservation systems, power and USB sockets, as well as real-time passenger counting and occupancy monitoring systems.
The coaches will be authorised for operation in Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Serbia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Faster, more reliable and more competitive
SŽ Pp’s fleet renewal programme is already well advanced, with deliveries of 72 Stadler trainsets ordered in recent years now nearing completion.
‘We have clear goals, to become the main transfer point in international transport between southeastern Europe and western and northern Europe’, said director Miha Butara. ‘With the new rolling stock, we will be even more competitive in international transport, and in the coming years we are also planning a new investment in 45 trains, which will support revised and improved timetables.’
Minister of the Environment, Climate & Energy Bojan Kumer said ‘we are not improving public passenger transport with promises, but with investments. We already invested €126m from the Climate Fund for new Stadler trains, and now we are allocating €43m for new locomotives and coaches, to make cross-border connections faster, more reliable and more competitive.’
