Prihláste sa na odber noviniek
Železničná spoločnosť Cargo Slovakia, a.s., succeeded in the 4th round of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) call, which is directly managed by the European Commission The company received a grant of €5.68 million for the project to modernize 23 electric freight locomotives of the 363 series. These funds will allow the locomotives to be fitted with the modern European Train Control System (ERTMS/ETCS) Level 2 Baseline 3, significantly increasing the safety and interoperability of rail freight transport.
The 363 series locomotives are a key part of ZSSK CARGO's fleet and operate on the main railway corridors of the TEN-T core network. Installing the ETCS system will enable the locomotives to move seamlessly within the European railway area, eliminating the need to replace them at borders. This will increase the company's efficiency and competitiveness. Installing a modern signaling system will reduce delays, increase railway infrastructure capacity, and strengthen cross-border accessibility. Thus, the project directly supports the EU's objectives of a green and digital transformation of transport.
"The European Commission has especially praised the improvement in the quality of our projects. This is the result of systematic preparation, a professional approach, and intensive cooperation with Brussels. We are also pleased with the high evaluation of another ZSSK CARGO project — the modernization of the Dobrá terminal — which has a real chance of succeeding in the next round of funding," said Denisa Žiláková, State Secretary of the Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic, who is responsible for Euro-fund investments and railway transport in the Ministry of Transport.
Jaroslav Daniška, the chairman of the board of directors and CEO of ZSSK CARGO, said: "Receiving the CEF grant significantly confirms the project's quality and provides an important impetus for the company's further modernization. Installing the ETCS system will increase the safety of our services and allow our trains to travel more smoothly across Europe. This is a concrete step towards smart, interoperable, and sustainable freight transport of the future."
ZSSK CARGO's successful project proves that Slovak railways can draw funds directly from Brussels for cutting-edge modernization projects. At a time when the European Union is emphasizing the transition of freight transport from roads to rails, this is a strategic step forward.
Key projects that have received support:
- Modernization of the Vydrník-Spišská Nová Ves railway line: increased speed up to 160 km/h, reduced travel time, and full electrification.
- Project documentation for the modernization of the Košice-Čierna nad Tisou section (border with Ukraine).
- Reconstruction of the Čierna nad Tisou railway station
- Modernization of switches in the Barca locality (Košice railway junction).
- Modernization of the traction converter station in Ruskov
- Modernization of 23 ZSSK CARGO freight locomotives and installation of ERTMS/ETCS
- Installation of ETCS on 29 ZSSK passenger rail vehicles
The successful drawing of funds from the CEF program confirms that Slovakia is able to prepare competitive and high-quality projects that respond to current challenges in the field of sustainable, digital and safe transport.
Photos: Matej Pleško, Marcel Baltiar
