NORWAY: State-owned rolling stock company Norske Tog has selected Stadler as the winner of a contract to supply 17 long distance trainsets to be branded as Flirtnex, with options for 100 more.
‘This is a big day’, said Norske Tog CEO Øystein Risan on February 17. ‘Norway has some of the most spectacular train rides in the world, and with the new long distance trains coming in 2027, everything is in place to lift the experience, the comfort, and the quality for the passengers to a whole new level.’
Norske Tog told Railway Gazette International that the contract with a potential total value of NKr8bn is expected to be signed in March.
The 200 km/h trainsets will have eight cars and a capacity of up to 542 passengers, with some trains having only seats and some having a mix of seats and overnight accommodation.
‘The train should not solely be a means of transportation, but also an experience in itself and a place you enjoy staying’, said Sille Svenkerud Førner, Project Manager at Norske Tog.
The trains will feature reclining seats, sleeping compartments, a bistro, family areas and luggage space.
Risan said the trainsets would be ‘flexible when it comes to space, comfort, and different type of usage’, with a range of options including reclining seats for day and night use and two and four-berth sleeping compartments. During the day, the compartments would be convertable into private seating areas for families and business travellers.
The trainsets are intended to operate on both electrified and non-electrified routes, although technical details are still be confirmed.
