Stadler presents mock-up of tram-trains for German and Austrian operators

EUROPE: A mock-up of the Citylink tram-trains that Stadler is to supply to operators in Karlsruhe, Saarbrücken, Neckar-Alb, Oberösterreich and Salzburg was unveiled at the Betriebshof West depot in Karlsruhe on December 13.

The mock-up is 22 m long, with a fully equipped interior.

A consortium of six German and Austrian transport bodies awarded Stadler a joint framework contract for the supply and 16 years of maintenance of up 504 tram-trains worth €4bn in January. It includes a €1·7bn firm order for the supply of 246 vehicles, and it is the largest contract in Stadler’s history.

The customers — Karlsruhe’s VBK and AVG, Saarbrücken’s Saarbahn Netz, Schiene Oberösterreich, the Land of Salzburg and Zweckverband Regional-Stadtbahn Neckar-Alb— decided to place a joint procurement in order to cut costs. They worked out common set of specifications to simplify approval procedures. The leader of the joint procurement is Karlsruhe operator VBK.

‘Maximum standardisation and the fact that the order was shared between different operating companies reduces the costs by to up to €1m per vehicle’, said Karlsruhe Mayor Frank Mentrup at the unveiling ceremony.

Saarbahn will receive the first four pre-series Citylinks in 2024. These will undergo test runs in real operating conditions, and all other tram-trains will be approved according to a conformity principle, which should mean quicker approval procedures.

The tram-trains will have three sections, air-conditioning and multi-purpose areas with two wheelchair spaces. However, the length, number of doors, boarding height and coupler height will vary to suit each operator’s needs. The cars are being manufactured at Stadler’s València plant.