After more than a year in Estonia, Elron’s new Škoda passenger trains made their official debut Saturday, ahead of their launch on the Tapa–Tallinn route in early 2026.
The new Škoda trains arrived in Estonia last summer. Although they had been seen conducting test runs in some places, the trains officially entered service Saturday with a debut journey from Tallinn to Kloogaranna.
“They will soon gradually start running, as far as the infrastructure allows. As of today, we know that we will be able to launch the westbound connection in mid-December, as the infrastructure there has been ready for a long time,” said Elron management board member Märt Ehrenpreis.
From January 5, Elron is set to open a new line between Tallinn and Tapa. However, the new Škoda trains will not be able to continue on to reach Tartu for the time being, even though they were originally ordered, largely with that destination in mind.
“The best information we have at the moment is that next fall we will be able to switch on the contact network in the direction of Tartu so that electric trains can travel from Tapa to Tartu,” said Arvo Smiltinš, technical director of Eesti Raudtee (Estonian Railways).
According to Smiltinš, the curves in the track have already been straightened, the contact network renewed, and major construction work completed. However, the final obstacle remaining is the conversion of the traffic control system, as the current version is not suitable for electric train traffic.
Elron’s new Škoda passenger trains made their official debut Saturday. November 29, 2025. Source: Ken Mürk/ERR
“The existing system also uses rails and rail joints, and the frequency there is 50 Hertz, which coincides with the frequency used in the contact network, which is also 50 Hertz. It means the similarity in frequency prevents the traffic control system from working properly,” Smiltinš explained.
Simply put, the electric current that moves the train suppresses the signals in the rails that are necessary for traffic control.
Estonia purchased 11 long-distance and five commuter trains from Škoda. All the new trains have three carriages and are longer than the ones currently used in Estonia. This means there are more seats as well as separate areas in the carriage for wheelchairs and prams.
All seats on the new trains are numbered. While there is a ticket machine on the train, Elron believes that in the future, tickets for long-distance trains should only be purchased in advance, as is customary elsewhere in the world.
One of the new three-car Škoda electric trains costs around €9 million.
Elron’s new Škoda passenger trains made their official debut Saturday. November 29, 2025. Source: Ken Mürk/ERR
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