Škoda and RegioJet introduce BEDMUs for northeast Bohemia
posted on 16th Sep 2025 16:36
On 16 September 2025, at a joint press conference, Škoda Group and RegioJet presented the concept of new BEDMUs that RJ will use on the group of R14A Pardubice - Liberec, R14B Liberec - Ústí nad Labem, R21 Praha - Tanvald, R22 Kolín - Rumburk and R24 Praha - Rumburk services, for the operation of which RegioJet has won a contract with a duration of 15 years, starting in December 2029.
Since these are predominantly non-electrified lines and the tender conditions required operation on electrified lines in electric traction, only multi-mode trains were considered. However, the non-electrified sections are too long to be covered by BEMUs only, so they will be battery electric diesel multiple units (BEDMU), based in principle on the existing RegioPanter BEMUs, with a battery (reduced for space reasons) and a diesel range extender that will recharge the battery on non-electrified sections. For operation under the catenary, the trains will be designed for 3 kV DC and 25 kV 50 Hz voltages. The interior will of course also be different with regard to the long-distance nature of the operation.
Based on a contract worth over 9 billion CZK (370 million EUR), 18 two-car and 16 three-car units will be delivered. In the future, it will be possible to remove the diesel drive and modify the units to be battery-electric, or even purely battery-powered or purely electric. The now presented design of the exterior and interior comes from the pre-contractual phase, which will then be the subject of further development, and the final design solution should be presented during this autumn.
Thanks to the new BEDMUs, in accordance with the infrastructure projects planned on some lines of the group of services in question, travel times should also be shortened. Jiří Schmidt, Director of Strategy at RegioJet, adds: "The Ministry of Transport and Správa železnic (the Czech infrastructure manager) must participate in improving the quality of transport in the northeast of Bohemia through investments. Money has not been invested in many lines for decades, there is a need to increase their capacity, increase their speed and, last but not least, electrify them. Better quality lines will allow passengers new transfer links and improve coordination with other modes of transport. We also expect investments in P+R parking lots."
The lines in question are mostly directed to the Liberecký kraj region, which is in principle the most neglected in the Czech Republic in terms of the quality of its railway infrastructure. It is the only region in the country that does not have any electrified or double-track lines, and many of the lines are very sinuous, so they are of significantly longer distances to the center of the country, including Praha, compared to roads.