Deutsche Bahn has awarded a €1 billion order for 30 new high-speed trains to Siemens Mobility.
The new trains will initially run on routes between the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and Munich via the high-speed Cologne-Rhine-Main line. They will increase DB’s daily passenger capacity on these mainline routes by 13,000 seats.
Dr Richard Lutz, CEO of Deutsche Bahn AG, said: “Today marks a big step for a strong and environmentally friendly rail system. DB is investing in new trains at a record level.
“Our fleet will be getting state-of-the-art additions with the new ICE trains, and our passengers will benefit from more seats, greater comfort and higher speeds by the end of 2022. The entire DB fleet will grow by 20 percent over the coming years.
“Even though demand has sharply declined due to the corona pandemic, everything speaks in favour of climate-friendly rail transport for the longer term. That’s why we’re committed to growth!”
“We are helping Deutsche Bahn implement its master plan for transforming Germany’s transport sector,” commented Roland Busch, Siemens’ deputy CEO. “The goal is to massively reduce CO2 emissions while at the same time attracting more people to public transport.
“Siemens and DB have long enjoyed a highly successful partnership. The most important requirement for the ICE order was to get the new trains on the rails very quickly. We can do exactly that by relying on our proven Velaro platform.”
Michael Peter, the recently confirmed sole CEO of Siemens Mobility, added: “The trains will be delivered in 2022 equipped with bicycle stands in every train and innovations for an improved passenger experience, such as frequency-permeable windows for better mobile reception.
“The trains are able to reach a maximum speed of 320 km/h and will be manufactured in Siemens Mobility factories in Germany and Austria.
“Thanks to our customer Deutsche Bahn for their trust and a big thank you and congratulations to the team for this great achievement.”
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