Germany: A framework agreement has been signed with FlixTrain. As part of the €1 bln firm order, the Spanish manufacturer will supply 30 locomotive-hauled trains and provide 15 years of maintenance.
With all options for 65 trains exercised, the deal will be worth €2.4 bln. This contract is pivotal for Talgo, which has recently changed ownership. The deal accounts for 60% of its current backlog of orders of €4.1 bln as of the end of March 2025.
The rolling stock to be supplied will be similar to ICE L trains, that is now delivered to Deutsche Bahn. The low-floor Talgo 230 push-pull trains will be built to operate at 230 km/h in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden, including cross-border services.
The number of coaches in a train will vary, and each train will comprise a driving trailer and an end coach for use as an interface with the locomotive. The trains will contain thousands of sensors to monitor the condition of components and ensure live data transmission to a service centre. Siemens Mobility will supply the Vectron locomotives.
Initially, FlixTrain was in talks with TMH, a major Russian company that was developing its Hungarian capacity in the early 2020s. TMH has an advantage over EU players thanks to its scale and experience in producing coaches. However, the deal did not materialise due to the situation in Ukraine and sanctions.
Another German company independent from Deutsche Bahn, Netinera, is now planning a large purchase of 50 high-speed trains.