Siemens Mobility and Stadler have signed a framework agreement with Danish State Railways (DSB) to supply a new fleet of fully automated trains for Copenhagen’s S-Bane suburban rail network.
The contract covers 226 four-car trainsets, with an option for up to 100 additional units, and has a total value of around 3 billion EUR.
The trains will be designed for unattended operation at Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4), allowing driverless service across the network. DSB plans to introduce the first units into passenger service from 2032, with deliveries scheduled to continue through to 2040.
Siemens and Stadler consortium to deliver fully automated trains for S-Bane Copenhagen
© Stadler
Under the consortium arrangement, Siemens Mobility will act as lead partner and will supply the electrical equipment, including propulsion and braking systems, onboard power supply, train control systems, passenger information systems and bogies. Stadler will manufacture the car bodies, doors, air-conditioning systems, couplings and interior fittings, and will carry out final assembly.
The new fleet will support an increase in service frequency across the S-Bane. Peak headways are planned to fall to 7½ minutes on each line and to as little as 1½ minutes through central Copenhagen. The operator estimates this could enable up to 35% more departures and capacity for roughly 10 million additional passenger journeys per year. In 2025, the S-Bane carried about 111 million passengers.
Flemming Jensen, CEO at DSB said:
This is the largest investment in the 90-year history of the S-Bane. With this investment, DSB takes another important step toward future proofing the capital’s public transport. Increased frequency and capacity will ensure that the S-Bane keeps up with growing demand and maintains its role as the backbone of Copenhagen’s transport network.
The new trains will be barrier-free, with level boarding assisted by sliding steps. Each 56-metre set will provide 120 fixed seats, 36 folding seats and space for around 300 standing passengers.
Interior layouts include multi-purpose areas for bicycles, wheelchairs and prams, along with work tables and air-conditioned saloons. Large front and side windows and wide doorways are intended to improve visibility and passenger flow.
Ansgar Brockmeyer, Head of Marketing & Sales Division and Deputy Group CEO of Stadler said:
With these new trains, we are continuing the iconic design tradition of the Copenhagen S-Bane S-train. The vehicles are a good example of how design goes hand in hand with comfort and pioneering technology. Designed for fully automated operation, passengers can look forward to trains that will significantly enhance their travel experience. The order is of great strategic importance and will help us to further expand our presence in Northern Europe. We thank DSB for the order and look forward to building the trains in our proven consortium with Siemens.
The agreement also includes a long-term service package. Siemens Mobility will provide a Technical Support and Spares Supply Agreement (TSSSA+) covering parts supply, digital monitoring and cybersecurity services for at least 30 years, with options to extend. Maintenance work will be carried out by DSB staff, with the consortium responsible for technical support, tools and systems, including the Railigent X data platform and condition monitoring software.
Signing of the agreement
© Stadler
The trains will be equipped with Siemens Mobility’s air-free brake technology, which replaces conventional pneumatic components with electrically controlled systems. The company says this reduces vehicle weight and energy use compared with traditional designs.
Separately, Siemens Mobility is delivering communications-based train control (CBTC) signalling across the 170-kilometre S-Bane network under earlier contracts with Banedanmark and DSB. That programme is intended to enable full GoA4 automation in phases, with initial automated operation planned from 2030 and network-wide driverless running targeted by 2033.
Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility said:
Together with Stadler, we are proud to have been selected to build and maintain 226 new S‑trains for Copenhagen. This order will create the world´s largest open railway system with automated train operation (ATO). We’re not just delivering trains, but intelligent mobility solutions, including Railigent X and our innovative Air‑free Brake System, to keep Copenhagen’s public transport efficient and sustainable. Our partnership with Copenhagen is long‑standing. We are already upgrading the S‑bane network with advanced signaling for full automation by 2033 on behalf of Banedanmark and DSB, building on our previous work to increase capacity and reliability.
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