New “Fox” Trains Have Started to Run in the Highlands Region, the Replacement of Regional Trains in the Region is Coming to Its End

RegioFox, or “Regional Fox”, is the name of the new two-cell diesel unit, which is air-conditioned, has a low-floor layout and a wheelchair-accessible boarding system, on-board Wi-Fi network, as well as electrical sockets and USB for power supply of travel electronics. The new type was approved in June, and some of the first trains taken over are headed to Vysočina (the Highlands Region), where they are already serving the first of the planned services. The handover ceremony for the new diesel trains to the Vysočina Region and its inhabitants and the completion of the entire replacement of regional trainsets in the Highlands Region will take place in September.

“We will have altogether 16 new RegioFox units in the depot in Havlíčkův Brod. They will serve the railway line from Havlíčkův Brod to Ždírce nad Doubravou and further to Pardubice on the one hand, and also services from Havlíčkův Brod via Jihlava to Telč and Slavonice. Together with the RegioPanters and the RegioSpider railcars, the new trains will serve the overwhelming majority of services in the entire region. Vysočina thus has one of the most modern rolling stocks, and thanks to the Regionova trains on other lines, by 2024 train connections in the region will be almost 100% accessible to passengers in wheelchairs,” says Michal Krapinec, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of České dráhy.

“The delivery of new train units for the Vysočina Region will be reflected in higher comfort of travelling in railway transport and will strengthen the required capacity. In the case of railway transport, this often involves the implementation of multi-year projects. Four or more years pass from the decision to request new rolling stock from the carrier to the deployment in service. Therefore, negotiations are already underway for the next major renewal of rolling stock with planned operation from 2030 on the territory of the Vysočina (Highlands) Region. These include both electric units as well as battery electric units,” says Vítězslav Schrek, Chairman of the Council of the Regional Authority of the Vysočina (Highlands) Region.

“The RegioFox trains offer passengers wheelchair-accessible travelling, air-conditioned space, electrical sockets and USB for charging travel electronics, on-board Wi-Fi network to facilitate internet connection, as well as spaces for prams, bicycles and other equipment for comfortable and modern railway travelling. Even a regional train can be transformed into a place intended for relaxation, a mobile office, it is possible to watch movies there, to chat and do many other activities on the way to work, school or for fun and relaxation,” said Jiří Ješeta, Member of the Board of Directors and Deputy Director for Passenger Transport of České dráhy, highlighting the advantages of modern trains. These advantages are not only associated with the newest RegioFoxes, but also with the RegioPanters on the electrified backbone railway lines between the largest cities of the region.

České dráhy has ordered a total of 106 RegioFox trainsets from the Poland-based company “PESA”. After their delivery from the manufacturer, they will be gradually put into operation on the lines in the South Bohemian Region, Central Bohemian Region, Hradec Králové Region, Pardubice Region and Pilsen Region, in the Vysočina (Highlands) Region and also in Prague. In addition to a number of advantages for passengers, they feature other modern equipment, such as Rolls-Royce engines with a possibility of using the latest generation of the environment-friendly HVO fuels, thus representing ones of the most environment-friendly diesel trains in Europe, they are also equipped with the ETCS train control system or the GSM-R radio communication system.

Information about the “RegioFox” unit of the 847 Class

• Seating capacity: 115 seats (including folding seats);
• 8 places for bicycles;
• 3 places for prams;
• 2 places for wheelchairs;
• 1 wheelchair-accessible toilet;
• Air conditioning system;
• Wi-Fi network;
• 230 V+USB sockets;
• Audio-visual system, passenger counting system, security cameras;
• Length: 44.4 metres;
• Weight: 83 tonnes;
• Max. speed: 120 km/h;
• Power output: 750 kW;
• Number of engines: 2;
• Number of driven axles: 4;
• Power output transmission: hydrodynamic;
• Number of bogies: 3;
• Number of doors: 4.