In September last year, Koleje Dolnośląskie and PESA Bydgoszcz signed an agreement under which the regional carrier ordered five five-car Elf2 electric trains. The contract included an option allowing the purchase of a further twenty trainsets in the future. A decision has now been made to expand the order by eight trains. In autumn 2020, Koleje Dolnośląskie also purchased six three-car Impuls II hybrid trains from Newag SA. The total value of all the contracts is nearly PLN 550 million.
– We are systematically expanding the railway connection network in Lower Silesia. Our local-government project to take over previously inactive lines from the state and restore them to passenger service is advanced and requires the continuous development of our carrier’s rolling stock, Koleje Dolnośląskie. Each modern Elf2 train will carry around 550 passengers, so these trains ideally meet the needs of Lower Silesia residents, who are increasingly choosing regional rail – says Cezary Przybylski, Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.
The new rolling stock will enable Koleje Dolnośląskie and the voivodeship’s local government to continue developing the region’s connection network in the coming years. The first trains will enter service in the region in about a year. The remaining trainsets will be delivered to the carrier in 2023.
– We intend to continue investing intensively in the development of railways in the region. Apart from the effects of the epidemic, statistical data clearly indicate that this mode of transport is one of the most popular among Lower Silesia residents. This is a clear signal to us that it is worth continuing to develop the railway – declares Tymoteusz Myrda, Member of the Board of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship responsible for the development of railway infrastructure in the region.
Koleje Dolnośląskie may still expand its contract with PESA Bydgoszcz, something the company’s management does not rule out. The option allows twelve more trainsets to be ordered by the end of September 2021. This investment would cost PLN 350 million.
– From the very beginning, our intention was to purchase the largest possible number of new trains as part of this rolling-stock project. Last year, we ordered 11 trainsets, including six hybrids from Newag. We have now expressed our willingness to increase this order by a further eight modern electric trains. This is already the largest rolling-stock project in the history of Koleje Dolnośląskie, and I assure you that we have not said the last word on this matter. We are constantly working to make maximum use of the purchase options. We still have some time to do so – says Damian Stawikowski, President of Koleje Dolnośląskie.
The expansion of the order to purchase eight electric Elf2 trains under the option was possible thanks to cooperation with PKO BP, which prepared an offer for a preferential consolidation loan worth more than PLN 442 million. For Koleje Dolnośląskie, the agreement brings many benefits, including extending the repayment period for its liabilities and increasing the company’s financial capacity for the future.
– A further eight trains for our carrier, Koleje Dolnośląskie, is very good news for the region and its residents. It is also a strong boost for KD’s development. All this is happening thanks to our very good cooperation with PKO Bank Polski. However, joint initiatives with the bank produce positive results not only in supporting railway infrastructure. Since the beginning of the pandemic, PKO BP has also been involved in the fight against COVID-19. It supports us in activities aimed at protecting people’s lives and health, including equipping the Marshal’s post-COVID clinics – says Marcin Krzyżanowski, Deputy Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.
The voivodeship’s local government also cooperates with PKO Bank Polski, as part of a consortium with Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, on other strategic investments for the region, such as the Lower Silesian Sports Centre in Jakuszyce (project value: PLN 186 million; loan: PLN 100 million) and the New Oncology Hospital in Wrocław, which is being prepared for construction (value: PLN 197 million). The bank has also supported the organisation of the Bieg Piastów for 26 years.
Comfortable train equipment
The Elf2 model selected by the regional carrier belongs to the latest generation of electric trains designed by PESA Bydgoszcz. They are low-emission, comfortable and safe, and can reach a maximum speed of up to 160 km/h. The new trains have 250 seats. Each of them will carry approximately 550 passengers in total. To improve travel comfort and safety, the Elf2 trains will be equipped with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, monitoring and spaces for transporting bicycles, wheelchairs for people with disabilities and storing larger luggage.
Major rolling-stock investments
Koleje Dolnośląskie is one of the fastest-developing railway carriers in the country. Thanks to its effective efforts, its fleet will soon grow by a total of 19 new trains. As a result, the number of environmentally friendly KD vehicles will increase by as much as 60 percent, from 32 to 51, while the number of passenger seats will rise by 45 percent, from just under 20,000 to nearly 28,000.
Taking up the option is part of a broader project co-financed by the Centre for EU Transport Projects. The project, “Lower Silesian Agglomeration Railway – purchase of rolling stock for passenger services in the Wrocław Functional Area”, has received PLN 85.1 million in funding.