Czechia, Bulgaria: The company has started assembly of trains at its Ostrava-based plant. According to the producer, first car bodies are complete, and the operation of the rolling stock will commence in 2026.
The contract for the supply of eight four-car trains, worth €65 mln, was signed with the Sofia metro operator EAD last summer. The trains will provide passenger services on Lines 1, 2 and 4.
Despite the fact that the metro cars were previously delivered to the capital of Bulgaria by the TMH plant in Mytishchi, the EU sanctions now prohibit the Russian manufacturer from participating in tenders. In light of these circumstances, the operator has been seeking a manufacturer ready to install automation equipment compatible with the Russian systems supplied earlier. Only Škoda Group responded, as it has previously worked on metro trains based on Soviet models.
Three-phase asynchronous motors used in the trains will enable energy recovery. Among other equipment worth attention is a safety system with automatic speed control. The design speed is set at 90 km/h.
