NETHERLANDS: National passenger operator NS has awarded Stadler a contract to supply 36 Flirt Flex electric multiple-units to provide capacity to accommodate growing ridership.
The order announced on November 9 covers 18 four-car and 18 six-car 160 km/h EMUs to be delivered from 2030.
They are intended for use on Sprinter stopping services, but will also be suitable for longer-distance Intercity services. NS has options to purchase additional trains, including sets which would be able to run into Germany and Belgium.
Stadler said they would feature a clearly laid out interior with designated areas for passengers with reduced mobility and space for luggage, pushchairs and bicycles. They will have two classes of accommodation, an accessible toilet, real-time passenger information displays and clear signage.
The brightness and colour temperature of the lighting will automatically adjust to suit the outside environment, time of day and season, creating a ‘calm and pleasant’ atmosphere.
Stadler is designing the trains in Praha, and they will be produced at its Siedlce factory in Poland.
The manufacturer’s Deputy Group CEO Ansgar Brockmeyer said its customer was looking for ‘a modern vehicle for local transport that could also be used as an inter-city train. The Flirt train impressed NS with its modular and versatile concept. Passengers can look forward to a comfortable, bright and well-designed train.’
NS CEO Wouter Koolmees said ‘from 2030 we will welcome this new, modern train in a classic livery’. He said ‘yellow and blue trains have been part of the Netherlands for decades and we would like to keep it that way. That’s why we’ve invested billions of euros in new trains over the past few years so that our passengers will still have a reliable and sustainable journey in 30 years’ time.’
