Stadler has secured a new contract worth €100m ($113.6m) from the Slovak state-owned passenger train company Zeleznicna spolocnost Slovensko (ZSSK) to deliver four KISS double-decker trains.
Additionally, the contract includes an option for ZSSK to acquire two more trains in the future.
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The first of the new KISS units is expected to enter service by the end of 2026, followed by the second in 2027. These trains will primarily operate on the route connecting Bratislava and Zilina.
This latest order follows the delivery of four KISS trains to ZSSK in 2023, which are currently in operation on regional lines in western Slovakia, including routes between Bratislava and Nove Zamky, and Bratislava and Trencin or Puchov.
ZSSK CEO Peter Helexa said: “Fleet renewal is a pillar of our vision for modern and sustainable transport.
“Thanks to today’s signing, we will bring innovative units to Slovak railways that will not only increase passenger comfort and satisfaction but also reduce energy consumption to 12kWh per train kilometre and save dozens of tonnes of emissions annually.”
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By GlobalDataThe design of the new units will be handled by Stadler Prague, which employs more than 250 engineers and designers. Production will take place at the Stadler Polska facility located in Siedlce.
The KISS trains measure 155.9m in length and offer a total of 611 seats, including 30 designated for first-class passengers in the Comfort section.
These trains can achieve a maximum speed of 160kmph and are fully accessible for wheelchair users.
Each unit is equipped with four toilets, one of which is specifically designed for passengers with reduced mobility.
The interiors feature multifunctional areas that accommodate wheelchair users, bicycles, push-chairs and luggage. Both passenger compartments and driver’s cabs are air-conditioned.
Passengers will have access to a modern passenger information system and on-board Wi-Fi.
The KISS trains also incorporate advanced safety features, including internal and external surveillance cameras, as well as roof-mounted cameras to monitor the pantograph. Furthermore, certified energy monitoring systems are installed in the trains.
Stadler sales and marketing executive vice president Ansgar Brockmeyer said: “Stadler trains have been running successfully in Slovakia for more than a year. I am pleased that we will once again deliver state-of-the-art KISS units to Slovak Railways.”
Stadler had previously supplied multifunctional electric units for narrow-gauge lines in the High Tatras in 2001, 2003, and 2021.
Recently, Stadler delivered the first of seven metre-gauge trains to Switzerland’s Transports de Martigny et Regions (TMR) and the French state railway SNCF.
