📋 Tender Overview
Taking into account the fact that at the end of last year, an agreement was concluded with Skoda Group for the purchase of 9 battery electric trains, ATD has created a multi-level project supervision, which also includes representatives of the Ministry of Transport, Latvian Railways and Passenger Train. Today, January 27, ATD and Skoda Group organized a meeting to discuss the implementation plan for the battery electric trains contract and agree on the communication structure of the contract, which will allow to follow the contract execution schedule. Janis Lapins, Chairman of the Board of ATD: The purchase of battery-powered trains is an important stage for the provision of regional public transport services, as the fleet of existing diesel trains is outdated and does not meet modern requirements. In order to gain confidence that all risks would be monitored during the implementation of the project, ATD has created a multi-level project management structure whose task is to ensure accurate and high-quality execution of the contract and to prevent the mistakes that were found in the purchase of new electric trains. ATD reminds that on December 11, 2025, a contract was signed for the purchase of 9 battery electric trains. The amount of the contract is EUR 89,409,387.00. Battery electric trains will be purchased with European Union Cohesion Fund and national funding. Delivery of battery trains is planned until 2029. According to the contract, the supplier - Skoda Group - must submit a project control plan to ATD no later than February 9, 2026, which provides for the reflection of the plan for the fulfillment of the contractual obligations in the timetable, setting, for example, the deadline for the fulfillment of requirements such as approval of train design, inspection and certification of rolling stock, testing under the conditions specified in the technical specification, delivery of trains in Latvia, their operation during the warranty period, etc. Since the contract envisages long-term cooperation, it is essential to create a communication structure that is easy to understand for both parties, which allows for the circulation of essential information in a short time. Also, in the project risk register, ATD has marked deviation of the project from the schedule, compliance of the trains with Latvian climatic conditions, set requirements, etc. as possible. During the meeting, it was requested that Skoda Group also identify all possible risks of deviations in the execution of the contract, so that a mechanism would be found with joint efforts, which would allow to avoid their occurrence as much as possible. Skoda Group, in accordance with the competence required by ATD, has delegated representatives to participate in the project working groups established by ATD, which ATD has created with the aim of more fully monitoring the train production process and monitoring the execution of the contract from an administrative point of view, so during the meeting, the persons responsible for making decisions were determined in each of the contracting parties, who will regularly deal with and report on the execution of the project plan, and the maximum response time of the other party was determined for each issue, thus reducing risks that may arise in the dialogue process. In addition to participation in working groups, control of the factory and train production stages at the Skoda Group factory is also planned. Also, each team member has his own area of responsibility, for which he must report to the responsible person approved in the structure, who can accordingly warn about the risks of non-fulfillment of the contract requirements and the conditions on which such risks depend, so that the cooperation process is as transparent as possible and the citizens of Latvia can receive regular feedback on the implementation of the project. Battery-powered electric trains are an essential investment for Latvia in order to strengthen the role of railways as the backbone of public transport and improve the quality and availability of passenger transport. During the trip, passengers will be able to appreciate all modern comforts: climate control, reduced noise and vibration, modern amenities, power outlets and USB-C charging points. The new trains will be adapted to all groups of passengers and will meet the latest European accessibility requirements, they will have a modern signaling system and places for passengers with wheelchairs. Conditions for travelers on two wheels will also be improved. While the old diesel trains typically have a high floor and only 3 bicycle spaces, the new battery trains have space for 8 bicycles in the low floor area, including 4 upright and 4 horizontal. The new battery electric trains will resemble the electric trains already introduced in transportation. They will be 2 cars long, with a low floor and 188 seats, incl. 24 seats in the 1st class. The design speed of the new trains is up to 160 km/h, and in battery mode - 120 km/h. It is expected that a significantly better acceleration compared to the existing diesel trains will make it possible to make full use of the available 120 km/h railway infrastructure and reduce the time on the road potentially by up to 15-25 minutes. Thus, trains will become competitive with private cars. Battery electric multiple units (BEMUs; from English - Battery Electric Multiple Unit) are electric trains additionally equipped with batteries to serve non-electric trains as well.the sections of the railway. They can be charged both during the trip on the electrified lines and at special charging stations. These new battery trains will run primarily in the directions of Daugavpils and Cesu, where the necessary charging infrastructure will be built. Currently, 23 diesel trains manufactured between 1980 and 1992 provide transportation on non-electrified lines. These 9 new battery electric trains will replace part of the existing diesel trains. The t
