CAF has signed a contract for the supply of 30 commuter units to JSC “Srbijavoz”, the Serbian national railway company that manages both long-distance and international transport as well as suburban network services in the country's main cities. The operation, which includes the full maintenance of the units for two years, is worth over EUR 300 million.
The new units will serve the BG Voz suburban network in Belgrade. This is CAF's second railway contract in Serbia, following the 2009 award for the design and manufacture of 30 trams for the capital, which are currently in revenue service.
These are electric trains based on CAF’s Civity platform for commuter and regional services, composed of three cars each and with a capacity of 546 passengers (204 of whom are seated). Their interior layout, featuring six multi-purpose areas with space for up to 18 bicycles, has been developed to meet the high standards and performance requirements that the operator JSC “Srbijavoz” will provide in its operations.
These are modular units offering the advantages of lightweight aluminium construction and designed to operate at speeds of up to 120 km/h. Their development draws on CAF’s extensive experience with this type of unit, which it has already supplied to numerous operators internationally, with features specifically designed for comfort, safety and transport efficiency. Equipped with two bogies per carriage, this facilitates maintenance of the units, as well as their agility in terms of acceleration and deceleration between the frequent stops at stations typical of an urban system, a key factor in optimising service frequencies.
The BG Voz network is a commuter rail system that serves Belgrade and the surrounding area. This network, operated by the public company JKP Beogradski metro i voz, connects Belgrade's city centre with its suburbs. It runs from the Ovča, Batajnica and Resnik terminal stations, extending to outlying areas such as Mladenovac and Lazarevac in the south.
With around 1.8 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, is the country's political, economic and cultural centre. It is currently immersed in an ambitious plan known as the Belgrade Urban Transport Master Plan, which includes the construction of new metro lines, the extension of the BG Voz suburban rail network, and the renewal of its train fleet.
This latter network is where the new trains are intended for. It is a system with 35 stations and provides service on four main lines and three complementary lines, connecting the main intermodal stations where other means of public transport in the city operate, such as trams, buses and trolleybuses. CAF's new fleet will improve suburban transport, replacing the old rolling stock that is nearing the end of its operational use, providing, among other improvements, a higher quality of service, a reduction in fleet incidents and greater train availability.
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