THE eastern German state of Thuringia has awarded DB Regio a 15-year contract to operate the Central Thuringian battery network, which will see battery-electric multiple-units operated for the first time in the state.

The contract represents 3.6 million train-km annually and will run from December 2028 to December 2043. DB will order a fleet of 19 Stadler Flirt Akku BEMUs to operate the services.

Thuringian state infrastructure minister, Steffen Schütz, says the use of BEMUs will decarbonise 13% of Thuringia's local passenger operations “in one fell swoop.”

“This is a milestone on our way to gradually replacing the DMUs that have been used in large numbers to date and making local rail transport even more climate-friendly,” Schütz says.

The Central Thuringian battery network includes several major regional lines radiating from the state capital Erfurt on which both semi-fast and all-station services will be offered. The routes are:

  • Erfurt - Ilmenau
  • Erfurt - Saalfeld
  • Erfurt - Nordhausen, and
  • Erfurt - Döllstädt - Leinefelde - Heilbad Heiligenstadt.

The contract also covers the Fröttstädt - Friedrichroda branch and Gotha - Bad Langensalza regional line. The new contract will include additional services compared with current levels, particularly early in the morning and late in the evening.

BEMUs

The BEMUs will each have 148 seats, and for the first time in Thuringia the state has specified higher minimum seating requirements in the contract, which reflects the growth in passenger numbers since the introduction of the Deutschlandticket. The state has also stipulated a new livery and internal design which it will apply to other regional operating contracts as they come up for renewal to align and improve the image of local public transport.

Existing 15kV ac electrification at Fröttstädt, Gotha and Saalfeld will be partially extended to assist BEMU operation on previously non-electrified lines. Recharging facilities will be installed at Ilmenau and Bad Langensalza stations. This work is already underway under a partnership between Thuringia and infrastructure manager DB InfraGO.