Siemens Mobility’s Vectron locomotive has received authorization from the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA) for passenger services at speeds of up to 230 km/h.
According to the approval scope, Vectron becomes the first modern locomotive authorized for regular passenger operation at this speed level. The first operator planning to use the locomotive under the new authorization is České dráhy (ČD). The Czech state operator ordered 50 Vectron MS multisystem locomotives in 2022, with deliveries already in progress. Entry into passenger service is planned from January 1, 2026.
The authorized locomotives are equipped with the European Train Control System ETCS Baseline 3.6, using Siemens Mobility’s Trainguard 200 onboard unit. In addition, the locomotives are fitted with the national train protection systems required for operation in each of the approved countries.
The expansion of the approved speed range was achieved within the existing Vectron platform. The primary technical modification concerns an adjustment to the gear ratio, while the modular design of the locomotive allowed the changes to be implemented without altering the overall concept.
The Vectron platform has been ordered in more than 2,800 examples by over 110 customers. Locomotives based on the platform are approved for operation in 20 European countries and have accumulated around 1.3 billion kilometres in service.
