Czechia: Alstom, Škoda sign ETCS 2 deal for RegioJet trains

Published on 17-10-2024 at 10:24

Alstom will be installing ETCS Level 2 on more trains in Czechia. Alstom

Alstom has strengthened its collaboration with Škoda Group by signing an addendum to their contract, focusing on the integration of the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 on the Czechia-based RegioJet trains. Specifically, Alstom will supply its Onvia Cab, formerly known as Atlas, ETCS Level 2 system for 23 electric train units, with delivery set to start in the first half of 2025. The new pact will be a boon for Czechia’s plans to speed up its ETCS rollout, which is moving comparably quickly to other EU states, and with good reason.

The new agreement between the two rail giants covers fifteen two-car and eight three-car electric trains, which are being manufactured by Škoda for RegioJet and are primarily designed for the company’s operations in Czechia and neighbouring regions. Alstom’s Onvia Cab ETCS Level 2 will be installed directly into the trains’ onboard systems, equipping them with ETCS hardware, including sensors, antennas, and onboard computers to communicate with trackside equipment.

ETCS, the standardised train safety system being rolled out across Europe, works by continuously monitoring the speed and position of trains and automatically applying brakes if the system detects that a train is going too fast or getting too close to another train.

Level 2 differs from Level 1 in that it doesn’t rely on intermittent data transmission via balises on the tracks or require trackside signalling. It allows trains to run at higher speeds and with greater frequency because of its continuous communication and ability to adjust train movements in real-time. Not relying on trackside equipment and the various signalling systems of different national networks also means ETCS Level 2 allows much smoother cross-border travel.

Czechia cross-border boon

Essentially, the Czech RegioJets will be able to easily navigate high-speed lines and cross over into other countries without needing to change signalling systems, a big advantage as the EU is pushing hard to integrate Europe’s rail networks by ensuring the technology is adopted across the continent. Installing ETCS on new rolling stock has been mandatory inside the bloc since 2019, but Level 2 tends to only be installed where the system is already in use or where future upgrades to Level 2 are planned.

This is the case with Czechia, which is focusing on rolling out Level 2 along its most important rail corridors, especially those that are part of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). That includes major lines like the routes between Prague and Brno, Pardubice, Ostrava, and Břeclav, which are essential for both domestic travel and international connections to Austria, Slovakia, Germany, and Poland.

“We are proud to offer innovative and competitive signalling solutions that not only increase the frequency of train traffic, but also ensure railway safety,” said Dan Kurucz, Managing Director of Alstom Czech Republic and Slovakia, on the deal’s announcement. “Our ETCS Level 2 system is a top-of-the-line solution that meets current needs of the railway. This contract confirms the confidence of our RegioJet customer in the reliability of our solutions.”

ETCS racing along in Czechia

Czechia has been one of Central Europe’s fastest adopters of the EU’s new signalling system. Its speed has been influenced partly by the pressure applied by the EU due to its strategic location as a freight transporter; Správa Železnic does not want to risk losing out on rail funding from the bloc, which is tied to meeting the deadlines for implementing exclusive ETCS operations by 2025. That’s especially important amid its push to upgrade its ailing rail network, with the implementation of ETCS its top priority.

If all goes to plan, Czechia will launch exclusive ETCS Level 2 operations on key lines in the New Year. Commissioning of the exclusive ETCS operations will start between Česká Třebová – Olomouc – Dluhonice – Prosenice/Přerov from 1 January 2025. Then Břeclav – Bohumín from 8 January, followed by Česká Třebová – Adamov, Modřice – Břeclav from 15 January. Finally, the Praha-Běchovice – Pardubice – Česká Třebová line will be upgraded from 22 January.

Avoiding future accidents

That means around 50,000 trains per month, covering 42 per cent of all traffic, will be operating under ETCS supervision on its priority routes. ETCS will be further rolled out across 4,600 km of the network by 2030, covering 60 per cent of Czechia’s railway infrastructure. This portion of the network handles approximately 98 per cent of total rail traffic performance, meaning the vast majority of the network will be much safer.

That’s all the more pressing as train accidents in Czechia have been coming under increased scrutiny this year. That’s after June saw four people killed and more than 20 injured when an express train crashed head-on with a freight train in the city of Pardubice, east of Prague. The investigation into what was one of the worst crashes in Czechia in decades is still ongoing and is expected to take several months. However, Regiojet’s owner Radim Jančura said at the time that such failures could be avoided in the future with the expansion of ETCS.

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