Polish inter-regional rail carrier PKP Intercity has settled the tender for the purchase of 46 new electric locomotives for national services and decided to order them from Newag, which was the only company to submit a bid.

The maximum speed of the vehicles is to be no less than 200 kmh. The selected manufacturer will also have to get the vehicles approved for operation in six countries. PKP Intercity is planning to introduce the locomotives on the national tracks in 2025.

The rail carrier is systematically expanding its locomotive fleet. In October 2022, it signed a contract with PESA of Bydgoszcz to produce 16 new electric and diesel locomotives with a maximum speed of 160 km/h in electric traction and 120 km/h in diesel traction. The gross value of the contract is PLN 554.6 million.

In March 2023, a contract was concluded with Newag for the purchase of 20 Gryffin-type electric locomotives. However, in June this year PKP Intercity exercised its right of option and decided to extend the purchase of 10 multi-system electric locomotives by a further 5 machines. The value of the order with the Nowy Sącz-based manufacturer thus increased from 258.6 to nearly PLN 388 million gross.

In mid-November, PKP Intercity opened a tender for the purchase of 63 multi-system electric locomotives to run trains at 200 km/h. It was then reported that the offer fell within the carrier’s budget. The tender also included a so-called option, which provides for the possibility of increasing the order by a further 32 locomotives. The bid was submitted by Newag, which offered, without the option right, PLN 2 billion 289 million 829 thousand 500 for 63 locomotives, and with the option right, PLN 3 billion 452 million 917 thousand 500 gross.

PKP Intercity is a Polish interregional rail carrier. It provides transport between major cities and popular tourist destinations in the country, connects smaller centres with agglomerations, and enables travel across Europe.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński