Siemens and its Swiss competitor Stadler Rail are joining forces to build a new fleet of S-Bahn trains for the Danish capital, Copenhagen.
Siemens Mobility valued the contract, which also includes a 30-year maintenance agreement, at around three billion euros. Starting in 2032, Siemens and Stadler will initially deliver 226 four-car trains, with an option for an additional 100 units. The fully automated trains will operate without drivers, as Siemens, under a contract signed in 2024, will equip the entire network with new signaling technology. “This contract creates the world’s largest open rail system featuring automated train operation,” said Siemens Mobility CEO Michael Peter.
The first trains from Siemens and Stadler Rail are scheduled to be delivered to Danish State Railways (DSB) in 2032, with the final units arriving in 2040. It is the largest order in the 90-year history of the Copenhagen S-Bahn, according to DSB CEO Flemming Jensen. With the new 56-meter-long trains, offering 120 seats and 300 standing places, DSB aims to increase service frequency across the 170-kilometer network in and around Copenhagen. The S-Bahn could thus provide up to ten million additional journeys per year. The network is currently used by 111 million passengers annually.
As consortium leader, Siemens Mobility will handle the electrical equipment, including drive and braking technology, onboard power supply, vehicle and train control, passenger information systems, as well as bogies. Stadler will supply the car bodies, couplings, complete interior fittings and seats, air conditioning systems, doors, and will be responsible for final assembly of the trains.
(Report by Alexander Hübner, edited by Sabine Wollrab. For inquiries, please contact our editorial team at berlin.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for politics and economy) or frankfurt.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for business and markets).)