Leo Express Prepares Zero-Emission Regional Trains

Prague, 22 January 2026

International rail operator Leo Express has launched a tender for the supply of battery-electric multiple units. Through this step, the carrier is strategically preparing to participate in regional PSO tenders and responding to the growing demand from transport authorities for modern, zero-emission solutions in regional rail transport. The contract covers the delivery of eleven battery train units with an option for up to an additional thirty vehicles, with a total estimated contract value of up to €320 million. The units, with a capacity of approximately 121 to 150 seats, will enable combined operation on electrified lines as well as on sections without railway electrification.

“We consider battery trains to be one of the elements of the future of regional passenger rail transport. They enable zero-emission operation even on lines where electrification does not exist and is not planned, while at the same time offering public transport authorities greater flexibility. By acquiring new battery units, we will be ready to offer a modern and competitive solution in any suitable regional rail project. At the same time, we also support a higher degree of electrification, which will reduce costs in the long term where a high frequency of services is expected,” says Peter Köhler, CEO of Leo Express.

Leo Express has long combined commercial rail services with public service operations. Since December 2019, it has operated regional trains in the Pardubice Region in the Czech Republic, and since December 2023 it has been providing transport services on Slovakia’s busiest regional line, Bratislava–Komárno. The battery trains are primarily intended for regional lines in the Czech Republic.