SIEMENS announced on October 5 that Austrian Federal Railways had placed a €540m order for an additional 44 Railjet trainsets on September 25.

The largest ever contract won by Siemens AG Österreich, it follows from an initial €244m order for 23 Railjet trains announced by ÖBB in early 2006 (RG 3.06 p112). The first of the 67 sets now on order are expected to enter service on international routes in 2009-10.

The Railjet sets comprise a driving trailer and six intermediate cars providing 408 seats in three classes of accommodation. They will be hauled by ÖBB's existing Siemens-built EuroSprinter Taurus electric locomotives of Classes 1016, 1116 and 1216 at speeds of up to 230 km/h, and ÖBB expects the new stock to cut half an hour from Wien - Salzburg journeys.

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