Slovak railways unveil its first Stadler Kiss
Four new units are to enter service in Slovakia this year.
On its Facebook profile, Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko (ZSSK) presented the ordered Stadler Kiss units, which will be put into service this year, mainly in western Slovakia. The six-car double-decker trains are manufactured at Stadler’s Polish plant.
They will be used on the Bratislava – Žilina, Bratislava – Nové Zámky, and Bratislava – Kúty – Břeclav lines. They will also be used on the Trnava – Galanta line. If the conversion of the Žilina junction to AC is not completed in time, they will temporarily run on the Palárikovo – Zvolen – Banská Bystrica line.
The units are designed for a speed of 160 km/h. They will provide seating for 611 passengers. They have low-floor access and are fully air-conditioned. A modern information system, Wi-Fi, a camera system, and automatic passenger counting are included as well. The units can transport up to 15 bicycles. There will be 30 seats in 1st class and 552 in 2nd class. ZSSK will pay EUR 76.95 million euros for the new cars; the sum will be largely covered by European subsidies.
Stadler beat Škoda Transportation in the competition. The manufacturer has agreed to subcontract to ŽOS Vrútky, its share in the contract is 4%. It will supply radio stations and information systems and ensure approval for operation in the Slovak railway network.
The plan for four double-decker units was previously criticized by the Slovak finance ministry. According to the ministry, the capacity of the trains, especially at peak times, is insufficient compared to conventional sets of locomotives and cars.
Edited and translated by Lucie Trávníčková