Austria: Two 11-car sets have begun passenger operations between Vienna and Villach. A third train of this model will enter service by late March, after which five daily return workings are planned on the route. Journey time is around 3.5 hours.
The 202 m-long trains offer 422 seats. They have a top speed of 250 km/h and acceleration of 0.77 m/s. They are capable of operating on AC lines of 15 kV and 25 kV and DC lines of 3 kV.
The SMILE is Stadler’s only high-speed platform. Its low-floor design is compatible with 550 mm and 760 mm platforms. The trains have already been approved for operation in Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Italy.
The rolling stock was ordered in March 2025 and leased for six years by Austrian private operator Westbahn. This marked Stadler’s first export of high-speed trains.
Previously, the sole customer for SMILE was Swiss national operator SBB. Late last year it took delivery of its full fleet of 41 sets contracted in 2015. The trains now operate in Switzerland and on international services to Italy and Germany.
