Sorainen has advised Skoda on its cooperation agreement with Elron for the construction of ten electric trains.
The current contract arose out of a 2021 public procurement deal where Sorainen advised Skoda on supplying six trains to Elron (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on February 26, 2021) with the option to request ten more. The total contract is worth over EUR 147 million.
Elron is a state-owned company that organizes railway transport, including the provision of passenger transport and other related services, as well as the repair of railway rolling stock in Estonia.
According to Sorainen, “as a result of the contract, Elron’s train fleet will increase by more than 40% by 2027. The new trains will have three cars and significantly improve the passenger experience with wider entry areas, as well as extra space for bicycles and passengers with baby strollers. The trains will be built on the RegioPanter platform, also used in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.”
“The new trains place great emphasis on passenger comfort,” commented Skoda Group Sales Area Director Mainline Ivo Gurnak. “They have a low-floor entrance, space for two wheelchairs, and four prams. Some of the seats are removable so that the train can be adapted to the current situation – in summer there will be more space for bicycles, in winter more space for passengers. Of course, there is air conditioning, a modern information system, WIFI, 230 V, and USB sockets.”
Sorainen’s team was led by Counsel Kadri Harginen.
Sorainen did not respond to our inquiry on the matter.