SWITZERLAND: Mountain railway operator Gornergrat Bahn has awarded Stadler a SFr30m contract to supply a further four Polaris electric multiple-units for the 9·4 km Abt rack line from the resort of Zermatt to the Gornergrat summit, which offers views of the Matterhorn.
GGB ordered an initial four of the custom-designed POpular LAndscape Railway In Switzerland metre-gauge units in 2019 and one more in 2024. Stadler said they are now providing reliable services one of Europe’s most famous mountain railways. The modern interior and exterior design was created by the Italian design studio Pininfarina with bright, open interiors and panoramic windows offering views of the ‘majestic’ Alps.
The two-car 34·6 m long 725 V 50 Hz EMUs have a capacity of 120 seated and 100 standing passengers, with CCTV monitored low-floor entrances for accessibility, a passenger information system and space for storing bicycles and winter sports equipment.
The latest four trains to be delivered for entry into to service at the end of 2028 will enable GGB to replace older vehicles as part of its fleet modernisation programme. ‘With the additional Polaris multiple-units, we are making a targeted investment in quality, comfort and reliability’, said the operator’s CEO Egon Gsponer on April 9.
CEO of Stadler Bussnang Dennis Laubbacher added that Gornergrat Bahn ‘operates one of the most spectacular and famous railway lines in the world. We are proud that our trains travel through this unique Alpine landscape every day, offering passengers an unforgettable experience.’
