The Plzeň Region has signed a contract with the operator Arriva vlaky, which from December 2030 is to provide public rail transport on four lines for 15 years using twelve BEMU battery electric units. The information was reported by the Czech News Agency on 8 October 2026.[1]
Of the four bidders, Arriva offered the lowest price, 161 crowns per train-kilometre, which was the only criterion of the tender. Deputy governor Pavel Čížek (STAN) said that České dráhy, which currently run diesel trains on the lines, did not succeed, nor did GW Train Regio and RegioJet, and that in his view the region is the first in Czechia to have successfully completed a tender for battery trains. After the subsidy is taken into account, the average rate is 160.83 crowns per kilometre, which according to Čížek is a quarter less than in the current contract for the Plzeň area and almost 130 crowns less than in the last diesel contract on the line from Plzeň to Domažlice. The risk, including the collection of revenue, is borne by the region.[1]
The region has a promise of a subsidy for the vehicles from the Modernisation Fund under the TRANSGov programme, amounting to 788 million crowns, with an expected purchase price of 1.125 billion crowns. By the end of the year Arriva is to submit an official subsidy application. From December 2030, six vehicles are to be in operation with an annual output of 947,000 train-kilometres. From December 2033, another six vehicles without a subsidy will be added and the annual output will rise to 1.642 million train-kilometres. After fifteen years, the vehicles will be transferred to the operator that succeeds in the follow-up procedure.[1]
On line P3 from Plzeň to Domažlice, trains are to run from December 2030 on a new track via Líně near Plzeň; these are services that the region is ordering for the first time. Line P21 will run from Příkosice via Rokycany, Plzeň and Nýřany to Heřmanova Huť and from December 2033 will be extended by the Příkosice – Nezvěstice section. On line P22 from Bezdružice via Plzeň to Radnice, BEMU trains will replace diesel units from December 2033, using the electrified Pňovany – Ejpovice section for charging. On weekends the battery units are also to carry tourists on line P25 from Plzeň via Klatovy to Železná Ruda-Alžbětín.[1]
Daniel Adamka, chief executive of Arriva, said that the operator will bring quiet and modern trains, and linked the increase in output to the construction of a new track, the gradual ending of old contracts and new connections.[1]
Related articles: Plzeň Region
Chronology
- — Plzeň Region has signed a contract with Arriva vlaky to run public rail services on four lines for 15 years from December 2030, using twelve battery-electric multiple units. ČTK / České noviny
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Sources
- ČTK / České noviny — 8 October 2026