Czechia: The private operator agreed with the manufacturer on a five-year lease of three Sirius EMUs.
Next January, the trains are to be put into regular service on the Kolin–Usti nad Labem rail corridor, where they were previously in trial operation. The vehicles will run under a temporary permit, the approval is to be secured next year.
The train was expected to become CRRC’s debut in the EU’s multiple unit market. More than seven years ago, in 2016, three Sirius trains (+ an option for 30 units) were ordered by the Czech operator, Leo Express. However, the delivery failures and delayed approval forced the company to terminate the contract in 2022.
Sirius’s each fifth component is reported to be manufactured in Czechia. The six-car aluminium-bodied train can accommodate 300 people and run on AC and DC lines at a maximum speed of 160 km/h.
