Official start of ZSSK's Class 350 withdrawal

On 7 October 2024, the process of withdrawal of the Class 35 locomotives was symbolically started in the Bratislava main locomotive depot (although the process of their decommissioning actually started already in 2021 with the 350.005). The commemorative event was held in the spirit of the half-centenary of the operation of this iconic class and its position in ZSSK's vision of a modern future.

Petr Helexa, ZSSK General Director: "Today we symbolically begin to say goodbye to the locomotives that have shaped the image of railway transport for decades, not only in Slovakia. 'Gorila' locomotives were for many years synonymous with fast and reliable transport, but the time has come to move forward. The locomotives with a top speed of 160 km/h were among the pioneers of international transport on the Budapest - Bratislava - Praha line and of Slovakian IC trains on the Bratislava - Košice line. However, their technical and safety concept can no longer compete with today's standards, and heavy maintenance and obsolete systems now significantly affect their operation. These Class 350 locomotives will be gradually replaced by other modern vehicles over the next few years. The farewell is therefore a symbol of a new stage."

On the occasion of this farewell, ZSSK also presented a special collector's note in the value of zero EUR with a visual of the Class 350 locomotives, designed by graphic designer and illustrator Adrián Ferda. This commemorative banknote will be on sale from Saturday 12 October 2024 as part of the event "Closing the Season with Gorilas", which will take place at the Railway Museum of the Slovak Republic. The sale of the banknote (price 3 EUR) will then continue at selected ZSSK sales points across Slovakia.

The event will also include an extraordinary run with one Class 350 locomotive from Bratislava to Trnava and back. At noon, there will be a ceremonial handover of two locomotives for historical purposes to the Železničné muzeum SR (Railway Museum of Slovakia), which will receive 350.018, and the Albatrosklub Bratislava - 350.001.

At present, four of the 18 existing locomotives (350.001, 005, 013, 018) have been withdrawn. The remaining five examples without ETCS OBU (350.002, 003, 012, 016, 020) are due to be decommissioned in 2025. Locomotives with the ETCS OBU (350.004, 006, 007, 008, 011, 014, 015, 017, 019) are due to be withdrawn in 2027. Initially, 20 dual-voltage Class 350s have been built between 1973 and 1975, however 350.010 and 009 have been damaged at heavy accidents in 1970s and 1980s.