AUSTRIA: National railway ÖBB’s passenger business has awarded Siemens Mobility a firm contract to supply a further 24 Cityjet three-car Desiro ML electric multiple-units for use in Wien, Niederösterreich and Burgenland from mid-2020.
These will replace older vehicles, increase capacity to accommodate rising ridership, and support upgrading of the Marchegger Ostbahn, Pottendorf, Nordbahn and Semmering routes.
The 75 m long EMUs will have a maximum speed of 160 km/h and the capability of being retrofitted with batteries for future use on non-electrified lines. One of the previous build has been fitted with batteries for trials, and was exhibited at InnoTrans last September.
‘This order shows that we are continuing our modernisation of local and regional transport in the interests of our customers’, said Michaela Huber, Chief Operating Officer at ÖBB-Personenverkehr. ‘With the expansion of the fleet and more seats, we will increase capacity and accommodate increased passenger demand.’
