For the first time, the Škoda Group will install the ETCS system—developed by its Belgian subsidiary, The Signalling Company—on new trains manufactured by the group. The technology will be installed on 34 BEDMU hybrid multiple units ordered by RegioJet for interregional services in northeastern Bohemia.
Škoda Group, the Czech manufacturer of rolling stock and public transportation solutions, has announced a new step in the development of its digital and signaling technologies. The European Train Control System ETCS, developed by its Belgian subsidiary The Signalling Company (TSC), will be installed on 34 BEDMU hybrid trains ordered by RegioJet, the second-largest rail operator in the Czech Republic.
This marks the first use of this technology on new vehicles manufactured by the Škoda Group. The company says that installing ETCS on the new RegioJet trains will help optimize the performance, safety, and lifetime value of the rolling stock.
“Since The Signalling Company became part of the Škoda Group in 2023, its team has consistently demonstrated its ability to deliver on the ambitious goals we have set. The installation of the ETCS system on our new hybrid trains for RegioJet marks the achievement of another important milestone, confirming that their signaling platform is ready for implementation on new rolling stock fleets,” said Tomáš Ignačák, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Škoda Group.
ETCS System Certified in 2025
The Signalling Company, a Škoda Group affiliate since 2023, was founded in 2019 with the goal of developing a fully software-defined signaling platform. In 2025, the company’s ETCS solution achieved full certification, confirming its technological maturity and readiness for use in rail transport.
The implementation is based on the iEVC-RailOS digital platform, which combines compact, modular on-board equipment with software applications. The modular and scalable architecture enables simpler and more cost-effective updates, including adaptations to new regulatory requirements or evolutions of the ETCS standard.
ETCS, the European Train Control System, is the common safety and signaling technology designed for European rail interoperability. By installing it on new trains, Škoda aims to more closely integrate its rolling stock portfolio with the digital solutions developed within the group.
“Our goal from the outset has been to rethink signaling technologies and deliver a modular, simpler, and scalable solution capable of supporting multiple signaling and non-signaling applications on a common, secure computing platform,” said Alexandre Bétis, CEO of The Signaling Company.
He added that the project demonstrates that TSC technology can be used both in ETCS modernization projects, such as the one carried out with Lineas in Belgium, and in new vehicle projects, such as the Škoda trains for RegioJet.
34 Hybrid Trains for RegioJet
RegioJet has ordered 34 new-generation BEDMU hybrid trains from the Škoda Group. The contract, valued at over 9 billion Czech koruna—approximately 360 EUR million—includes 18 two-railcars sets and 16 three-railcars sets.
The trains are hybrid multiple units equipped with a diesel powertrain, which will allow them to operate on non-electrified lines while retaining the advantages of electric traction. In the future, the units can be converted to fully battery-powered or purely electric operation.
The new trains are scheduled to enter service in December 2029 on routes in northeastern Bohemia. They will serve the R14A Pardubice–Liberec, R14B Liberec–Ústí nad Labem, R21 Prague–Tanvald, R22 Kolín–Rumburk, and R24 Prague–Rumburk routes.
According to the Škoda Group, operating these trains is expected to reduce emissions by up to 19,000 metric tons of CO₂ per year.
Award-Winning Technology at RailTech Europe
The ETCS solution developed by The Signalling Company received the RailTech Europe Innovation Award in March 2026, an award that recognizes the company’s approach to developing cost-effective, reliable, and scalable signaling solutions.
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