Polish rail operator Koleje Małopolskie has ordered 25 EMUs for its services in the Małopolska area in a 1.3bn zlotys ($335m) order with local manufacturer Newag.
The framework agreement includes a firm 345m zlotys order for six trains to be delivered by 2027 and options for 19 more, with 14 of the other orders already planned and financed according to the Małopolska government.
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Łukasz Smółka, marshall of Małopolska province, said the new trains would allow the operator to accommodate the millions of new passengers on the rail network, with customer numbers rising from around seven million per year in 2014 to a projected 22 million in 2024.
He said: “Passengers want to travel comfortably and safely, and our goal is to meet these expectations. Thanks to the framework agreement concluded today, modern trains will be running in Małopolska, adapted to the needs of residents.”
Funding for the orders comes from EU grants given to Małopolska through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan for Poland and the EU funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment for 2021-2027.
The new trains will have room for 550 passengers and be adapted for improved accessibility with inbuilt boarding ramps, disabled toilets, and areas for luggage and bicycle storage.
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By GlobalDataKoleje Małopolskie president Radosław Włoszek said: “We are proud that we can offer a very good transport offer for the residents of Małopolska, who commute to work every day, but also for tourists, who come to Małopolska in such large numbers.
“I would like to thank the Board of the Małopolska Province for the ‘green light’ for the development of railways in our region.”
The deal is just the latest rolling stock investment by a Polish operator to be funded by the EU, coming shortly after Koleje Mazowieckie signed a $802m order with Stadler for the delivery of 50 FLIRT trains.
