UZBEKISTAN: National railway UTY has awarded Škoda Group a €320m contract to supply 30 electric multiple-units.
The four-car EMUs will be similar to 1 520 mm gauge units which Škoda is supplying to Latvia and Estonia.
Features will include ergonomic seating, air-conditioning, wi-fi and external and internal CCTV. The partially low-floor design will ensure accessibility.
The project is being financed by Czech banks with support of the export insurance agency EGAP. Production will get under at Škoda’s Ostrava site next year, with some assembly in Uzbekistan.
The contract was signed in Plzeň on October 11 in the presence of Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov.
‘With these cutting-edge trains, we are on the path to revolutionise our railways and enhance the overall passenger experience’, Aripov said. ‘This collaboration is just the beginning of a promising partnership. We recognise the great potential for Škoda in Uzbekistan.’
Zdeněk Sváta, Škoda Group’s President Region Central East, said the order ‘is not only a testament to the high quality of our vehicles, but also a significant step in strengthening international partnerships’.
Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka said ‘lobbying for Czech companies is a standard part of our economic diplomacy. I am glad that our trip to Uzbekistan helped to conclude this contract, which is important for the entire Czech industry. The development of the relationship with Uzbekistan opens the way to this country for other Czech companies, not only in the transport sector.’
