Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko (ZSSK) has added another Škoda Group’s Panter EMU to its operational fleet. The new four-car unit, offering 343 seats and a low-floor design, is the first of five units financed through Slovakia’s Recovery and Resilience Plan.
With this delivery, the state-owned operator brings the number of Panter-type EMUs in regular service to 35. ZSSK expects to reach 39 units by the end of 2025. A second option for six more units is planned for 2026, which would bring the total to 45. All units are owned by the carrier.
Deployment planned on four regional routes
The newly delivered Panters are to operate on the following regional lines:
- Trnava – Galanta
- Trnava – Kúty
- Banská Bystrica – Zvolen
- Zvolen – Nová Baňa
An extension to eastern Slovakia has also been mentioned, dependent on the installation of ETCS onboard systems.
Vehicle specs and production details
The Panter units are the result of cooperation between Škoda Group and ŽOS Trnava. Final assembly and commissioning are carried out in Slovakia. The units are delivered in two versions:
- Three-car (80 m, 247 seats)
- Four-car (106 m, 343 seats)
Each trainset features a low-floor entrance, air conditioning, accessible multifunctional space for reduced mobility passengers, space for bicycles and strollers, passenger counting system, onboard information displays, CCTV, and toilets with closed waste systems. Wi-Fi and power outlets are standard. The interior layout includes an open-space concept with LED lighting.
Similar trainsets are already in use in the Czech Republic, with further deliveries planned for Latvia and Estonia. In Slovakia, they represent the largest type series of electric regional trains operated under the ZSSK brand.
