Estonia, Investments, Railways, Transport

International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Tuesday, 19.03.2024, 03:52

Estonian Elron wants to buy new luxury trains

BC, Tallinn, 19.05.2015.Print version
Estonian state-owned railway passenger transport operator Elron wants buy by 2018 several five-railcar trains that would replace the current Tallinn-Tartu route express trains, be more spacious and comfortable, LETA/Postimees Online reports.

"As has previously been discussed, our vision shows that we would need at least three more trains," Elron's Chairman of the Board Andrus Ossip said after a meeting on Tuesday with Economy and Infrastructure Minister Kristen Michal.

 

These three new trains would be used on the Tallinn-Tartu express route and trains used there now would be sent to Narva and Rapla and other routes to add much needed trips there. The opening of new routes is not planned by Elron, since alongside Rail Baltica, developing additional directions is not reasonable.

 

The new trains would have to be more comfortable that the current trains that are by many said to be suitable for short-distance travel but not for long-distance travel like the Tallinn-Tartu route.

 

The trains' acquisition value is estimated at EUR 30 million.

 

Ossip said that the attitude of the ministry was supportive about the plan and he hopes that a final decision about the new trains would be reached by the end of June. Then the earliest these trains could reach Estonia is 2018.

 

AS Eesti Liinirongid (Elron) is a state-owned company that operates nationwide passenger transport with the new Stadler FLIRT electric and diesel trains that the Estonian state decided to buy to replace the whole passenger train fleet all at once. The first new trains began servicing passengers in July 2013 and the last of the 38 trains reached Estonia in June last year.






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