Slovak Railway Company ZSSK launches €9.3 million ETCS safety system procurement

Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko (ZSSK) announced a public tender to equip ten diesel locomotives of class 757 with the European Train Control System (ETCS). The project is valued at €9.32 million (excluding VAT) and aims to monitor train speed and position in real time, automatically applying brakes when safety limits are exceeded. The tender closes on 3 September 2026, with a planned implementation period of 36 months.

Funding will come from the Program Slovensko, other similar programmes, the state budget and ZSSK’s own resources, though the exact mix remains undetermined. ZSSK’s chairman and CEO Ivana Piňosová emphasized that ETCS will act as a technical support layer, not a replacement for driver expertise, enhancing safety on non‑electrified routes where the 757 diesel‑electric locomotives operate.