As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 29th of November, 2019, on Friday morning, a brand new diesel-electric motor train intended for regional transport departed from Zagreb train station (Glavni kolodvor) to Varaždin.

The new train will operate on the Zagreb train station-Zabok-Varaždin route and vice versa. The behicle was produced by Končar - Electric Vehicles for HŽ Passenger Transport.

"This route is extremely important because about two million passengers are transported on it each year," said HZ Passenger Transport CEO Željko Ukić, speaking ahead of the departure of the train this morning. He noted that HZ Passenger Transport had signed a contract for the production of 44 brand new trains with Končar - Electric Vehicles back in January 2014.

After the first phase of the procurement, twenty such electric motor trains for urban, suburban and regional transport and one diesel electric motor train for regional transportation were delivered, funds from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) were secured for the further procurement of four diesel electric electric trains for regional transport.

As stated, the first of these trains was launched today from Zagreb train station and the remaining three will be delivered by the end of the first quarter of 2020, explained Ukić, noting that the investment value for these four trains stands at a massive 17.4 million euros in total.

He also noted that the delivery of seven more diesel-electric and twelve more electric-train trains is planned. Those trains, as he said, will be arriving within the period between 2021 and 2024. They are modern trains that meet all the strict standards they need to and boast state of the art transport conditions.

The CEO of Končar-Electric Vehicles, Ivan Bahun, stated that the new train is a high-tech product fully developed and manufactured by Končar according to the most up-to-date European and international standards.

The maximum train speed is 120 kilometres per hour, it boasts 167 seats and 175 standing places. It is equipped with four sets of double doors, two ramps for the safe entry and exit of wheelchairs, bicycle space, and the entire passenger compartment is under video surveillance. Train passengers are also provided with totally free internet access (WiFi).

Zagorjecom TV posted a video of the train's arrival on their YouTube channel, watch it below:

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