Czech Railways (České dráhy) has begun trial operations of its new motorized trainsets, RegioFox, which are expected to replace the existing RegioNova trains. The new trains have Rolls Royce engines and meet the most stringent environmental standards (Stage V). They are also adapted for modern synthetic fuels, including hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO). The trains are designed to run at a maximum speed of 120 km/h but will operate at 70 km/h on their current routes.
The RegioFox trains have been designed to provide maximum comfort to passengers. They are equipped with modern, spacious, and air-conditioned interiors and feature ergonomically designed seats in first and second-class configurations, with a seating capacity of 115. The trains also have Wi-Fi, electrical outlets for charging portable electronic devices, and a modern audio-visual information system providing information on the train journey and stops for all passengers, including those with vision and hearing impairments.
The new trainsets are undergoing trial operations with two units of the 847 series. Over the next few weeks, up to six trainsets may be put into trial operation. The trains are being tested with passengers on the S75 Rakovník – Beroun and S6 Beroun – Rudná u Prahy – Praha lines. Once the trial operations are completed, the trains will gradually be put into service as regional or express trains, for example, on the routes from Beroun to Rakovník and Prague, on the Písek line, from Havlíčkův Brod to Jihlava, Telč, and Slavonice, on the northern route to Chrudim and Pardubice, and many non-electrified lines in the Hradec Králové region and the Pilsen region.
The RegioFox trains have been designed to be barrier-free, with a floor level matching that of modern platforms, and have a retractable platform for bridging the gap between the train and the platform and a retractable step for lower platforms. The trains are equipped with a passenger counting system, which will provide a better overview of the occupancy of individual trains to the Czech Railways and transportation contractors.
The RegioFox trainsets are part of a significant overhaul of trains on regional and local lines. The new trains will replace the 814 and RegioNova trains, manufactured between 1975 and 1982 and modernized between 2005 and 2012, and the 843 series, manufactured in the 1990s.
The RegioFox trains are expected to provide a much-needed boost to regional transportation in the Czech Republic and improve the comfort and convenience of passengers on these routes.