Czech Railways has ordered 50 Vectron MS multi-system locomotives from Siemens Mobility, in a contract that also includes a 15-year service contract. With a maximum operating speed of 230kph, the trains can operate on conventional and high-speed lines. Deliveries will start from December 2025.

Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, said: “We are delighted about the trust placed in us by Czech Railways and our biggest Vectron order to date from the Czech Republic. For the first time, our trains are also suitable for service on high-speed lines. As a result, Czech Railways will be ideally equipped for providing flexible, sustainable and cross-border rail transport. With the additional service contract, we will also guarantee the operational availability of the locomotives.”

The trains for Czech Railways will be manufactured at the Siemens Mobility plant in Munich-Allach and will incorporate the ‘globally proven’ Siemens ETCS ‘on-board unit solution’ Trainguard 100/200/300 and are equipped for operation in the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. Czech Railways plans to operate the locomotives on the Prague-Hamburg, Prague-Vienna-Graz, and Prague-Budapest lines.

Siemens Mobility has already sold 1,327 Vectron locomotives to 61 customers, and the locomotives have covered more than 500 million km to date; they are currently approved for operation in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.