Škoda Group has started production of a new generation of electric multiple units for Arriva, with the first car body already painted at its Ostrava plant in the Czech Republic.
The manufacturer has completed the design and technical preparation of the project and has begun building prototypes of both train variants. The first two car bodies have been completed in welded form, while assembly of the prototype vehicles is due to begin in September.
Škoda Group signed a contract with Arriva in July 2025 worth more than 7 billion CZK. It covers at least 22 low-floor electric multiple units based on the company’s Škoda 26Ev platform, comprising 16 three-car and six four-car trains.
The trains are scheduled to enter passenger service from December 2028 on the Ex6 Prague–Pilsen–Cheb and R16 Prague–Beroun–Pilsen–Klatovy/Železná Ruda routes.
The Ostrava facility is producing prototypes of both variants, designated EMU200 and EMU300. Further car bodies are expected to leave the production line at roughly two-week intervals.
Assembly will involve the progressive installation of bogies, traction equipment, control systems, interiors and other onboard equipment.
Škoda Group Vice Chairman Tomáš Ignačák said:Since signing the contract, we have completed the design and technical preparation of the project and moved on to production of the first vehicles. The first painted car body is an important and, above all, highly visible milestone. At the same time, we are continuing to test key components and prepare the traction and control system. The project is therefore gradually moving from the development phase into physical production.
I would also like to highlight the significant role that Czech industry will play in the production of these new trains. We expect domestic suppliers to account for approximately 80% of deliveries.
Component testing is also under way. Škoda Group is working with the RICE research centre at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen on testing the traction system, while vehicle software development and verification will be carried out by Škoda Digital.
Testing of the complete prototype trainsets is scheduled to begin in spring 2027. Type approval testing will then take place before preparations for series production.
The Arriva units are based on Škoda’s 26Ev platform, which has been developed for interregional and long-distance passenger services. The trains will use dual-system traction and operate on both 3 kV DC and 25 kV AC electrified lines. They can also be adapted for 15 kV AC operation, allowing potential use on networks such as Germany’s.
The trains will have a maximum operating speed of 200 km/h and will be designed to meet requirements covering passenger comfort, pressure tightness and fire safety. This will allow them to operate on high-speed lines and through tunnel sections longer than 5 km.
The three-car units will have 224 seats, while the four-car trains will have 315 seats. Both versions will include first-class accommodation.
Daniel Adamka, CEO of ARRIVA CZ said:It is great to see the train, which until now we have known mainly from technical drawings and visualisations, turning into a real vehicle. The new units will offer passengers higher speeds, a comfortable interior and modern onboard services. Today’s presentation of the new car bodies brings us closer to deploying them on routes from Prague via Pilsen to Cheb and Klatovy.
Onboard equipment will include air conditioning, Wi-Fi, power sockets, passenger information displays, CCTV and an accessible toilet. The trains will also feature the European Train Control System (ETCS), remote vehicle diagnostics and Automatic Train Operation (ATO).
The ATO system will adjust the train’s speed according to the timetable and the gradient profile of the route, while optimising acceleration and braking. Škoda Group says experience with comparable trains operating in the Baltic region indicates that the system can reduce energy consumption by up to 15%.
The first painted car body marks the start of a production programme that will progress through prototype assembly and testing before the new trains are introduced on Arriva’s Czech long-distance routes from 2028.
