PICTURE: The first hydrogen train for passenger transport in the world arrived in Prague
Hydrogen trains could start running on the Czech railways in about five years. Changes in legislation and the development of domestic infrastructure will be key to their wider use. The cost of them would not be too different from current trains. Martin Bělčík, head of the Railway Research Institute (VUZ), and Daniel Kurucz, head of the Alstom train manufacturer, told reporters today during the presentation of the Coradia iLint hydrogen train. According to experts, hydrogen-powered trains are one of the ecological variants of future operation, especially on regional railways.
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Arrival of the world’s first hydrogen passenger train Coradia iLint.
| Photo: Deník / Radek Cihla
The Coradia iLint set, which is the first hydrogen passenger train in the world, set out from Prague today for a presentation journey on the Czech Railways. In the following days you will visit 24 places in the Czech Republic. The train manufacturer Alstom wants to introduce the train especially to carriers and authorities as an alternative for railway operation in the future.
According to Bělčík, the standard operation of hydrogen trains depends mainly on the development of legislation in the Czech Republic and especially in the EU. “If we make the production and distribution of hydrogen within the European Union around a huge bureaucracy, we will kill this alternative fuel. But if we take it soberly and look at it as an emission-free drive, then it really has a future,” Bělčík said.
Michal Kraus, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of Czech Railways, also drew attention to the need for changes in legislation. The possible future use of hydrogen trains will also depend on the carriers’ dealings with the authorities. The head of the state carrier Michal Krapinec has previously pointed out that almost two thirds of railway lines in the Czech Republic are not electrified. It would be possible to use hydrogen trains on them, so Krapinec wants to look for a suitable alternative to current diesel trains. According to the Minister of Transport Martin Kupka (ODS), it can be a hydrogen alternative to replace conventional diesel locomotives on lines where electrification does not pay off.
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Another condition is the preparation of the infrastructure. The head of the Railway Administration, Jiří Svoboda, emphasized the need for cooperation between transport customers, infrastructure managers and carriers. “Without that, it’s impossible,” he said. The infrastructure would include, for example, filling stations.
According to Kurucz, the cost of producing hydrogen-powered trains could fluctuate in similar proportions as with electric trains. He pointed out that the price will depend on the number of trains ordered. According to him, the prices of hydrogen alone are now almost comparable to diesel, with greater use of hydrogen they could continue to fall in the future.
Alstom’s hydrogen trains have been running in several European countries since 2018. According to the company, it is an alternative for 46 percent of the main lines in the EU that are not electrified. The Coradia iLint is the world’s passenger train powered by a hydrogen fuel cell that produces electricity for traction. According to Alstom, the only emissions that the train generates are steam and condensed water. The train will be in the Czech Republic until May 25.