Bombardier bags 103m euro contract to revamp Deutsche Bahn Regio AG fleets

Berlin, Germany (Urban Transport News): Bombardier Transportation has been awarded a contract by Deutsche Bahn (DB) to modernize their current S-Bahn Stuttgart fleet consisting of 423 and 430 series trains. The modernization will increase passenger comfort considerably. The contract is valued at approximately 103 million euros (US$125 million).

The contract includes the provision of engineering services to redesign the S-Bahn Stuttgart 423 and 430 series fleets, along with the modernization and delivery of three converted prototype vehicles per series and the material delivery for the modernization of the remaining vehicles, to be carried out in-house by S-Bahn Stuttgart. The development will take place at Bombardier's Mannheim and Hennigsdorf sites, while the required modernization of the prototypes will be carried out in Hennigsdorf.

Dr. Dirk Rothenstein, CEO of S-Bahn Stuttgart, said:

With the interior elements of our redesign, we are meeting the latest requirements for urban mobility. For passengers in the Stuttgart region, this means better passenger service and more space for wheelchairs, strollers as well as bicycles through additional multi-purpose areas.

“We are proud that our long-standing customer and partner S-Bahn Stuttgart relies on us as the vehicle manufacturer to modernize the existing Stuttgart area fleet. The fleet currently consists of 157 trains, many of which have been in reliable operation in the Stuttgart area for more than two decades and will be extended to 215 trains. They cover more than 23 million kilometres every year and bring more than four hundred thousand passengers safely to their destination every day. We look forward to making them fit and more comfortable for decades to come,” said François Muller, Head of Services at Bombardier Transportation in Germany.

The new interior design is characterized by an optimized allotment of the various vehicle areas. In addition, the trains will be equipped with Wi-Fi, a modern passenger information and infotainment system combined with electrical sockets for charging mobile devices in various vehicle areas.