Škoda trains for Warsaw Metro to begin full operation
Four trains have been delivered to Warsaw so far; the first will start carrying passengers this week.
New trains for the Warsaw metro, manufactured by Škoda Transportation, will begin passenger operations by the end of this week. This was announced by Metro Warszawskie. The trains have received all the necessary documents from the Office of Rail Transport (UTK).
The first train was delivered to Warsaw in May and began test runs without passengers. Metro Warsawskie originally planned to begin passenger operations by the end of the summer holidays. Residents of Warsaw polled to name the trains Varsovia.
Škoda signed the contract with the Metro Warszawskie transport company in January 2020 after a tender process and legal issues lasting over two years. The contract is for 37 metro trains with an option for eight more. If fulfilled inclusive of the option, the contract value will be close to EUR 330 million.
The new six-car trains for Warsaw can accommodate up to 1,500 passengers. Their maximum speed is 90 kilometers per hour. The Škoda trains will operate on the new metro line which has been in service since 2015 and is still under construction. According to earlier Polish media reports, this is the largest ever order for vehicles in the history of the Warsaw metro. Previous tenders were won by Alstom and Siemens.
Edited and translated by Lucie Trávníčková