TRAXX3 MS in Austria

Following the approval of TRAXX3 MS locomotives with software version VR01.5, another important and related development took place: the start of their regular operation in Austria. About ten days after the approval was issued, RegioJet began using the possibility of international deployment of locomotives delivered with this latest SW version right from the factory, i. e. 1388 219 - 231, on services to Slovakia.

At around the same time, locomotive 1388 227 was transported to Wien on 9 July 2025, for staff training. On 30 July, the first of these TRAXXes began regular service in Austria and hereby in Hungary, as most of the RJ trains in question run all the way to Budapest. The premiere was RJ 1031 Praha-Zahradní Město - Wien - Budapest-Déli pu service hauled by 1388 222, followed by the return RJ 1036 service the same day. In the coming days, the new TRAXX3 MS locomotives should completely take over operations on this route, where RegioJet has so far used its own TRAXX2 MS locomotives and three Vectrons of ELL hired from the CT-Train and CZT CZTrain pools.

ČD Cargo has so far two Class 388s upgraded to the VR01.5 version, but their operation in Austria is not expected until a larger number of them are available, which is currently estimated to be at the end of autumn or during winter.