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While in May Elron talked about plans to purchase several new comfy express trains to travel Tallinn-to-Tartu by 2018, now other options are also being pondered.
Elron puts brakes on luxury trains buy plan
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«We have this continually on the agenda but there are also alternatives which we consider,» said Elron CEO Andrus Ossip to explain why no application has been filed to economy ministry regarding additional three new luxury trains to be purchased to service Tallinn-Tartu connection by 2018 with extra space between the seats plus a catering wagon.
Two alternatives have surfaced. One would be a hybrid train which would mean an electric train also able to go on diesel. The third and top austere variant is just buying a fourth wagon for the existing three-wagon diesel trains. «Between these we are trying to see what’s best in the long perspective,» said Mr Ossip.
He went on to lay out peculiar nuances of the versions. «Regarding the hybrids – as these were bought with EU support –, is rebuilding like this allowed actually?» And with an investment as large as buying the luxury trains, the company sees need to take time to think thoroughly about all versions. As supply time of new trains is up to three years, it is highly likely that there will be no new trains in 2018 travelling Tallinn to Tartu. «In 2019, then, rather,» said the CEO of Elron.
From February 2016, the train company is also planning to raise ticket prices by an average of five percent, as already applied for by the company from the ministry. Also, the company will undertake to update the ticket sales system so as to have validators on board and tickets to be purchased by a touch-sensitive bank card. Among other things, they will remove the 30-day period-ticket limit so it can also be purchased for ten days for example.
To explain the ticket price rise, Mr Ossip cited the desire to boost use of period cards, Elron client card and other benefits.
In the year ahead, Elron’s chief investment will concern maintenance of the trains with about €500,000 poured mainly into renovating the contact depot.
The company has also earmarked €250,000 to raise safety of travel. This includes software updates in on-board security devices, as well as hooking and unhooking the trains to/from one another.