GREAT NEWS: The new FLIRTS are coming out to the tracks

Two new FLIRT electric multiple units went on their first runs on October 29. They are the first to be used by residents of Łódź, Kraków, Olsztyn, Warsaw, Radom, Kielce, Mława, and Ciechanów, among others. The remaining 10 vehicles will be delivered to PKP Intercity no later than the third quarter of next year.

The vehicles were produced at the Stadler Polska factory in Siedlce, under a contract worth more than PLN 1 billion gross. The manufacturer will also be responsible for the technical maintenance of the new fleet for 15 years.

The newest FLIRTS will serve the following InterCity category connections:

• IC 13108 Reymont of the Łódź Fabryczna - Kraków Główny route;
• IC 3524 Kolberg on the Kraków Główny - Olsztyn Główny route;
• IC 5328 Warmia on Olsztyn Główny - Kraków Główny route;
• IC 3522 Żeromski rel. Kraków Main - Olsztyn Main;
• IC 5122 Mazury for Olsztyn Główny - Łódź Fabryczna.

One trainset offers 60 1st class seats and nearly 300 2nd class seats - it is worth remembering that in electric trainsets it is not possible to travel without a seat reservation. On these trains, travelers can purchase a ticket with a seat in the Zone of Silence, which is also valid from September 4 on FLIRT and PESADart vehicles, which run under the InterCity category. Seats in the Zone of Silence are not charged extra and will provide those willing to travel in a calm and quiet atmosphere with the opportunity to study, work or relax with a book.

In the new trainsets, passengers will benefit from several amenities, including air conditioning, electrical sockets, GSM/LTE signal boosters, and wireless Internet.

"The FLIRT trainsets we have been using since 2015 are passenger-loving, modern rolling stock. That's why we have planned further investments in electric multiple units in our investment strategy. We are happy at the moment when, as part of a contract worth more than a billion zlotys gross, more modern vehicles go out on the tracks and start serving our passengers," says Marek Chraniuk, CEO of PKP Intercity.

FLIRT trainsets are vehicles tailored to the needs of different groups of passengers. Thanks to a platform that facilitates boarding and disembarking, people in wheelchairs or with mobility problems can get on board safely and comfortably. There is also a space for transporting bicycles inside. There is also a food and beverage area on board where passengers will satisfy their hunger and thirst. Food and drinks can also be served to the seat occupied by the passenger.

The new FLIRTS, thanks to the fact that we can combine them with similar vehicles from Stadler, will significantly increase our operating capabilities. The ability to put two electric multiple units together can be useful, among other things, during freight peaks. What is equally important is the adaptation of the new vehicles to the needs of different groups of travelers, thanks to which we are taking another step in increasing the accessibility of railroads," explains Jaroslaw Oniszczuk, Member of the Board of PKP Intercity.

The ordered FLIRTs are compatible with similar vehicles owned since 2015 - they can be combined, which increases the carrier's operational flexibility. Safety will be taken care of by Stadler's proprietary safety system, ETCS GUARDIA, which supports ETCS Levels 1 and 2, as well as the conventional Class B safety system. This means that the vehicle meets the highest safety standards for running railroad traffic. FLIRT trainsets have acoustic soundproofing, which increases travel comfort, and systems for recovering the eclectic energy generated during braking. FLIRTs have been designed with the environment in mind, the materials from which the vehicles are built are ecological and recyclable.

The purchase of electric multiple units is part of the carrier's largest-ever investment strategy "PKP Intercity - Railway of Large Investments." Under the investment program, the company will invest PLN 24.5 billion in the purchase and modernization of rolling stock. By 2030, the company will purchase 35 and modernize 54 electric multiple units. As a result, it will have 109 units of this type. The value of investments contracted by PKP Intercity under the rolling stock strategy already amounts to PLN 7 billion gross.

 

Source: PKP Intercity