photo: PKP Intercity press materials/PKP Intercity signed a contract with H. Cegielski for the modernization of cars worth EUR 107 million
Polish transport company PKP Intercity and Poznan-based railway vehicle plant H. Cegielski have signed a contract to modernize 90 cars. The contract value is estimated at PLN 495 million (EUR 107 million). The first cars under the project will be put into service next year.
The subject of the contract will be 90 Type 111A and 141A railcars, their subsequent inspections at the third level of maintenance, and the performance of periodic repairs at the fifth level of maintenance. The first vehicle is to be delivered to PKP Intercity within 350 days of delivery to the rolling stock manufacturer, and the rest of the car fleet within 30 months of signing the contract.
"The modernization of another 90 cars will ensure comfortable travel for passengers and give impetus for the further development of the proven Polish company. It is worth emphasizing that almost half a billion zlotys, which PKP Intercity will invest in cars modernization, will not leave Poland but remain here, in Poznan. The plant of railway vehicles named after H. Cegielski has proved many times that it offers services of the highest quality and is a reliable company. The successful, still developing cooperation between our national carrier and the company from Poznan is an excellent example of how public companies should cooperate with Polish companies. At MAP, we encourage such cooperation because it benefits everyone - the companies, the Polish economy, and the local labor market," emphasizes Maciej Małecki, State Secretary of the Ministry of State Property.
The modernized cars will be equipped with comfortable seats, a new passenger information system, automatic doors, closed-circuit toilets, and air conditioning. The speed will be adjusted to 160 km/h, and the cars will become quieter. Once upgraded, the vehicles will be used as second-class compartments on InterCity (IC) trains.
"The events of recent weeks show how much we need a strong and reliable Polish railroad. It is a crucial element of an efficient transportation system. That is why we are paying even more attention to the modernization program of Polish railroads. The contract signed today, which will add another 90 modern buses to the PKP Intercity fleet, is another big step in strengthening the position of our national carrier. It is another step towards our goal of a safe, comfortable, predictable, affordable, and environmentally-friendly railroad," says Andrzej Bittel, State Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure.
"As a resident of Poznan, I am proud that in our city there still exist and successfully operate companies that continue the tradition of Hipolit Cegielski. That is why I have been a consistent supporter of the Poznan Rail Vehicle Plant since 2016. At that time, the fate of the company was very uncertain. I persuaded and mediated the establishment and strengthening of cooperation with PKP Intercity, so I am glad that it is developing so well. We don't need convincing because the contract to build 90 cars speaks for itself. The cooperation between the two public companies is becoming exemplary. For the benefit of not only passengers all over the country but also in Poznan. Today we can say that we have defended the existence of FPS. I would like the profits from the contract to be invested in the modernization of the company so that it can successfully return to European markets," notes Bartlomiej Wróblewski, Member of Parliament of the Republic of Poland.