Stadler to provide EMUs to Latvia Transport and Related Services

Stadler has been elected for a 15-year hire-purchase contract to supply 25 1520mm-gauge EMUs to the Latvian passenger operator Pasazieru Vilciens (PV).

The 15-year lease term contract worth €273.9 million covers residual value of the assets at the end of the lease, maintenance equipment and spare parts. The contract is still waiting for the approval by the Latvian ministry of transport.

Pesa and Hyundai-Rotem were the two other bidders for the contract, although PV says Pesa did not submit a final proposal and the Hyundai-Rotem bid was dropped as it failed to comply with the terms and conditons of the tender.

According to PV the first trains are likely to enter service in the first quarter of 2016.

The 25kV AC powered EMUs will run on Riga – Jelgava and Riga – Sloka – Tukums services. These lines are presently electrified at 3.3kV DC powered but are being transformed to 25kV as part of LDZ's national electrification programme.