CZECH Railways (ČD) has drawn down the first tranche of a Koruna 4bn ($US 190m) loan provided by Eurofima. The loan supports the acquisition of 94 regional trains, consisting of 84 RegioFox DMUs manufactured by Pesa and 10 RegioPanter BEMUs manufactured by Škoda.
The draw down took place on July 20 and was the first under a nine-year framework agreement signed in June 2024. The financing supports the renewal of regional passenger fleets used across the Czech rail network.
“Reliable regional rail depends on investment that reflects today's infrastructure while preparing for tomorrow's mobility needs,” says Christoph Pasternak, Eurofima CEO. “This financing enables ČD to modernise its fleet with technologies suited to different operating environments and supports the gradual transition to lower-emission rail transport.”
The two-car RegioFox DMUs are equipped with the latest-generation diesel engines and are being deployed across several regions of the Czech Republic. The two-car RegioPanter BEMUs can draw power from 3kV dc or 25kV ac overhead electrification as well as from on onboard lithium-titanate oxide batteries. These have a range of up to 80km. The BEMUs are being introduced in the Moravia-Silesia region.
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