ZUG.SH, the public railway authority of Schleswig-Holstein, and The European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed a EUR 250 million loan agreement for the purchase of state-of-the-art EMUs that will improve regional passenger transport and promote competition in the sector.
“With this investment in the region’s main lines, we are making a decisive shift towards state-of-the-art rail transport. This has impact not just for Schleswig-Holstein, but also for Hamburg and – for the first time – Denmark as well,” the Transport Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen said.
In July 2023 Alstom was awarded the contract to manufacture 40 new Coradia Max electric multiple units for Schleswig-Holstein, including the provision of maintenance services for 30 years.
With a projected passenger volume of 21.9 million in the first year of operation, the trains will significantly improve regional connections and access to key centres of employment, housing and social infrastructure, the CEO of ZUG.SH, Wewers explained. The new trains will also be designed to meet the needs of people with reduced mobility.
The Coradia Max EMU will have a capacity of 390 seats a major increase from the 70 seats that existing models have, and each carriage will have step-free multi-purpose areas with barrier-free access for easy transport of strollers, up to 24 bicycles, and large items of luggage. They will be equipped with the ETCS and will meet technical specifications for interoperability enabling seamless cross-border traffic.
From December 2027, the new state-of-the-art EMUs will operate on major regional routes between Kiel, Flensburg and Tinglev in Southern Denmark, and between Hamburg and Wrist and Itzehoe. They will operate the RE 7 and RE 70 lines (Hamburg – Kiel and Hamburg – Tinglev routes) as well as RB 61 (Hamburg – Heide route) and RB 71 railways (Hamburg – Wrist route, via Itzehoe).
“The EIB’s support and long-term financing is crucial to the ability to deliver state-of-the-art trains and the targeted cost savings for the region. Not only will the new fleet create a more enjoyable travel experience for passengers, but it will also promote competition and sustainability in our regional rail network,” Bernhard Wewers of the Board of ZUG.SH said.
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