Two initial electric trains from Škoda Group will commence test rides on Estonian railways by late spring. Lauri Betlem, CEO of Elron, announced that the first new electric train built for Estonia is ready and has been moved to a test segment in Pilsen. Following a successful test program, the train will be transported by road to Riga for reassembly. According to plans, the first two trains will arrive for testing on Estonian railways by late spring.
From 2025, the introduction of new trains will progressively resolve Estonia's rolling stock shortage, allowing for the densification of timetables as trains arrive in Estonia. Betlem noted that the past decade has seen a sharp increase in train passengers in Estonia, leading to a situation where passenger mobility needs exceed the capacity of the train fleet. The new Škoda trains are expected to fill this gap, especially after the electrification of the Tallinn-Tartu railway line by infrastructure owner AS Eesti Raudtee, with the first trains starting to serve the Tartu direction.
Between 2024 and 2026, 16 new passenger trains will arrive in Estonia to meet the growing demand for new train connections. Tomáš Ignačák, president of Škoda Group CZ&SK and the Central and Eastern European region, confirmed that the production of trains built for Estonia is on schedule. The testing of the first train built for Estonia has begun in Pilsen, where a nearly one-kilometre test track is available. This railway segment is unique due to its multiple track gauges, and it is used for testing all of the company's products. The production of Estonian trains is on schedule, and the next phases of the project are eagerly anticipated.
Viljar Luhthein, project manager for Elron's new trains, mentioned that two trains are currently under construction and testing for Estonia, set to undergo test rides on Estonian railways by late spring 2024. These test runs will confirm the trains' complete compatibility with the local rail infrastructure.
By the end of 2024, 6 long-distance trains will be added to Elron's fleet, serving the Tallinn-Tartu line starting in 2025. Each long-distance train has a total of 236 seats, including 32 first-class seats. An additional 5 long-distance trains will be introduced in 2025.
In 2026, 5 regional trains will join Elron's fleet to serve the eastern direction. Each regional train has 263 seats, with no first-class configuration.
Elron (AS Eesti Liinirongid) is a state-owned company that operates passenger train services on railways owned by AS Eesti Raudtee and Edelaraudtee AS. Elron's trains make over 200 departures daily, serving more than 20,000 passengers. In 2023, Elron's trains recorded 7.83 million trips.
