Netherlands: Arriva Netherlands has signed a contract with Stadler for the supply of five four-car Flirt EMUs. The trains will be deployed from December 2029 on the Vechtdal Line in the Dutch provinces of Overijssel and Drenthe, boosting capacity on services between Zwolle and Emmen, which Arriva has operated since 2012. The trains will be manufactured at Stadler’s plant in Siedlce, Poland.
Edmonton: The City of Edmonton has named Hyundai Rotem as its preferred bidder to supply 40 high-floor LRVs for use on the Capital and Metro lines.Design and manufacturing will begin this year, with vehicles arriving in 2029 and 2030. The new LRVs will replace U2 vehicles that have been in service for more than 45 years. Up to 16 of the LRVs will be used to accommodate service growth following the completion of the Capital Line South and Metro Line Northwest extension projects.
Slovakia: ZSSK has signed a contract with domestic manufacturer ŽOS Vrútky for the supply of 10 refurbished sleeping cars. ŽOS Vrútky is expected to supply double-deck coaches originally built for DB City Night Line services. Each coach will be equipped with at least 30 beds along with air-conditioning, showers, power sockets and modern passenger information systems. Deployment is expected within 24 months of contract signing. ZSSK says it has managed to reduce the cost of the 10-year maintenance agreement for the coaches by 24%. It also confirmed that it is working with the Ministry of Transport to update its night train concept, including to optimise capacity utilisation, and review existing routes and fares to offer a more sustainable service.
In addition, ZSSK has announced that it has selected ŽOS Zvolen to refurbish 33 class 813/913 Bageta DMUs, which are used on regional lines in Banská Bystrica, Nitra, Žilina and Košice. The project is expected to extend the service life of the trains by 10-15 years.
Poland: Masovian Railways has signed a contract with Stadler for the delivery of another 11 Flirt EMUs, the final option in a framework contract for 75 160km/h trains that ran from 2024-25. The order will take the operator’s total Flirt fleet to 146. Masovian Railways says that it will apply for European funding to support the procurement, having successfully secured funding for the 64 trains already on order, the first of which will enter service in April. Stadler is building the new trains at its plant in Siedlce and says that 25 are at various stages of manufacturing, commissioning and type testing.
Britain: Freightliner has agreed a deal with leasing company Porterbrook for the supply of 150 new intermodal wagons. The wagons will be manufactured by British manufacturer WH Davis and will incorporate a new design based on 40ft platforms, which Freightliner says will offer improved efficiencies and reduce carbon emissions by 7% compared with the use of 60ft platforms. They will also be equipped with Axiom TF20+ bogies and braking systems supplied by Wabtec. Deliveries will commence in the first quarter of 2027 and are due to be completed by the end of next year.
Zagreb: Zagreb Electric Tram (ZET) has confirmed a €55m order for an additional 20 low-floor LRVs from Croatian supplier Koncar. The order is being part-funded by a €44m grant from the EU’s Competitiveness and Cohesion Programme. Delivery is expected later this year. ZET has also received the 20th and final TMK2400 LRV supplied by Koncar under a €49.8m contract signed in June 2023.
Potsdam: The first two of 13 Tramlink LRVs ordered by Potsdam Transport Authority (ViP) from Stadler entered service on December 18. The 42m-long vehicles are around 12m longer than the Variobahn LRVs they are replacing and have capacity for 246 passengers.
Switzerland: Appenzell Railways has confirmed an order worth SFr 17.5m ($US 22m) with Stadler for two new vehicles for use on the Rorschach - Heiden rack line. The 21m-long vehicles will enter operation at the end of 2028, replacing rolling stock that has been in service since 1998.
Switzerland: Stadler has confirmed an order with Mount Rigi Railways for the delivery of four EMUS. The 34.8m-long trains will be deployed on the Goldau - Rigi Kulm rack line and will accommodate 253 passengers. The trains are equipped with four powered cogwheel axles and a regenerative braking system. They are the same type as the four trains already in service on the Vitznau - Rigi Kulm line.
