ROLLINGSTOCK Agency has compared the price for the TMH Moscow trains currently supplied to the Russian capital with the contractual terms of new agreements signed by the capitals of Bulgaria and Georgia, which have cancelled their negotiations with TMH. The findings were presented by Sergey Belov, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the agency, in a commentary for Vedomosti.
The latest acceptance certificates in Moscow indicate a price range of RUB 100–157 mln (€1–1.6 mln) including VAT per car produced by the TMH plant in Mytishchi. The price varies depending on the type of car, which can be classified as a motor, non-motor, intermediate, or head car.
The recently signed contract between the Sofia metro and Škoda Group stipulates an average price of €2 mln per car. The Bulgarian capital anticipated the contract with the TMH plant in Mytishchi as the metro line is equipped with Russian automation equipment. However, under the pressure of the EU sanctions, the contract has been terminated. The Czech manufacturer has only limited experience in upgrading old cars produced by the Russian car-builder and delivering new ones to St. Petersburg and Warsaw. Furthermore, it lacks the necessary competence and facilities for manufacturing metro cars. Despite this, the contract has been signed.
Tbilisi also planned to purchase TMH cars, which resulted in the signing of a contract in 2022. In light of the potential increase in costs associated with a new purchase, the city placed efforts to avoid the termination of the contract. However, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development ceased financing of the project due to the sanctions against the TMH plant in Mytishchi, which was to produce the cars. This March, a new tender was launched with the World Bank’s financing, offering 97 cars at a price of €205 mln, equating to an average price of €2.1 per car.
“At the same time, trains for Bulgaria and Georgia have lower automation requirements than those the Moscow metro train platform complies with”, Sergey Belov pointed out. Nowdays, TMH is currently supplying the Russian capital with one of the most advanced metro trains in the world, featuring cutting-edge running gear, control system, and unparalleled passenger convenience.
