First test runs of RegioPanter in Estonia

In the first half of June, unit 3340 was transported from Riga to the Pääsküla depot, south-west of Tallinn, the first of a total of sixteen Type Škoda 21Ev RegioPanters of the batch for Elron. The plan was for 3340 to start in July test runs on Estonian railways, during which it would first have to travel 6,000 km without passengers, without major technical faults and while meeting the contractually required reliability and other parameters. 

This plan became reality on 23 July 2024, when the RegioPanter ran under its own power from Pääsküla depot towards Paldiski (a town and port on the Baltic Sea). Other runs took place on the Pääsküla - Turba section (south-west of Tallinn), both at 3 kV DC.

After the completion of the type tests, the RegioPanter will be used in test runs with passengers, during which it will have to reach a minimum of 6,000 km; for subsequent units, only 5,000 km are required. From February 2025, RegioPanters are also to be tested at 25 kV 50 Hz on the Tamsalu - Jõgeva section in the eastern part of the country, where Eesti Raudtee is carrying out the necessary work.