České dráhy has put into trial operation the first brand-new RegioPanter regional train on the S4 Prague – Kralupy nad Vltavou line. By the end of this year, a total of 22 new RegioPanter EMUs will be running on the railway lines in Prague, the Central Bohemian and Ústí nad Labem regions, which are to increase the capacity of suburban electric trains by 4,950 seats. These units are fully air-conditioned, barrier-free and equipped with an on-board Wi-Fi network.
From December 2024, the new RegioPanter trains will be deployed on the S4 line Prague – Kralupy nad Vltavou – Ústí nad Labem, where the rush-hour connections on the section between Prague and Kralupy nad Vltavou will be operated in a double traction system with a capacity of up to 450 seats, and only one RegioPanter regional train will run on the less frequented section from Kralupy nad Vltavou to Ústí nad Labem and back. The second line served by the new trains will be the R 41 line (Prague – Kolín – Kutná Hora route), which is to offer, in a new concept, all-day fast travelling from all towns and villages between Poříčany and Kolín to the capital city.
22 RegioPanter electric trainsets for the Prague Integrated Transport (PID) system are a part of the contract with Škoda Group for the supply of 60 trains for České dráhy.
Their maximum speed is 160 km/h, power output 2,040 kW, weight more than 150 tonnes and length 79.4 metres. The Central Bohemian “Panters” differ from the units intended for other regions in terms of their interior design, where the number of 1st carriage class seats is higher (at the customer’s request).
The PID RegioPanter train sets have the 1st carriage class seats at both ends of the train in the compartments behind the driver’s cab and offer a total of 16 seats in the higher category, which is twice as many as in the case of other units of the same class. In total, the PID RegioPanters offer 225 seats.
“Hundreds of thousands of people commute to work or schools from the Central Bohemian Region to Prague by train every day. Our national carrier offers them an ever better and more comfortable journey thanks to the acquisition of new modern units, such as RegioPanters. They offer everything what a modern passenger expects, from air conditioning to the ability to charge a mobile phone or tablet. I am convinced that these innovations will bring more passengers to the Czech railway network,” Martin Kupka, Transport Minister said.