Flix Partners with Talgo for €2.4 Billion High-Speed Train Deal to Enhance Sustainable Rail Travel Across Europe

Flix Partners with Talgo for €2.4 Billion High-Speed Train Deal to Enhance Sustainable Rail Travel Across Europe

(IN BRIEF) Flix has awarded Talgo a €2.4 billion contract to supply up to 65 high-speed trains based on the Talgo 230 platform, with an initial order of 30 units valued at €1.06 billion. The trains, designed for full accessibility and digitalisation, will be used across multiple European countries. FlixTrain’s strategic move aims to meet the growing demand for affordable, fast, and sustainable rail travel. The Talgo 230 trains are set to reduce fuel consumption by 30% and increase payload capacity by 40%, furthering Flix’s goal to expand its fleet and shape the future of high-speed rail travel.

(PRESS RELEASE) MUNICH, 28-May-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Flix, the Germany-based transport leader, has awarded Talgo a landmark €2.4 billion contract to supply up to 65 high-speed trains based on the innovative Talgo 230 product platform. The initial order consists of 30 units worth approximately €1.06 billion, with the contract also including 15 years of maintenance for all units.

The Talgo 230 push-pull trains will feature advanced accessibility at platform level and cutting-edge systems digitisation. Designed to serve across Europe, the trains are built to operate seamlessly in countries including Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden, with full interoperability for cross-border travel.

This strategic move comes in response to the growing demand for fast and affordable rail travel, with FlixTrain aiming to revolutionize the European high-speed rail market. The contract with Talgo marks a significant step in expanding FlixTrain’s fleet, which is set to transform the rail industry by offering efficient, eco-friendly, and competitive alternatives to road and air transport.

The Talgo 230 trains are designed to reduce fuel consumption by 30% while boosting payload capacity by 40%, providing an energy-efficient solution for intercity rail travel. Talgo, a leader in high-speed and intercity train design, is committed to enabling the decarbonisation of rail transport with its lightweight, high-speed vehicles equipped with advanced technology like natural tilting and automatic gauge-changing systems.

Flix CEO and co-founder André Schwämmlein said, “We’re embarking on a new era of train travel in Europe. With this major expansion of our fleet, we aim not only to increase our market share but also to grow the overall rail travel market significantly.”

The new high-speed trains are expected to play a crucial role in FlixTrain’s ambitious plans to tap into the growing rail travel market. The German market alone is expected to grow by 45% by 2030, with even greater potential in the broader European market, estimated at €27 billion in 2023.

Talgo President Carlos Palacio expressed his excitement about the partnership, stating, “Our collaboration with Flix is a key milestone in improving passenger mobility across Europe. The Talgo 230 platform represents the best solution to enhance intercity rail travel, supporting the shift from road and air transport to more sustainable energy sources.”

About Talgo 230

The Talgo 230 platform is based on the same technology that has made the Spanish train manufacturer’s intercity trains an international reference, with projects underway in Spain, Germany, Denmark and Egypt. Talgo 230 trains are lightweight, high-speed vehicles with independently rotating, self-guided wheelsets that maximise capacity and can be fitted with natural tilting and/or automatic gauge changing systems.

About Talgo

Talgo is a leader in the design, manufacture and maintenance of high-speed and intercity trains, with industrial presence in Spain, Germany, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the United States. Recognised worldwide for its capacity for innovation, unique and distinctive technology and reliability, the company has a team of more than 3,500 people in 11 countries.

Talgo is the main supplier of high-speed and very high-speed trains to Renfe, and the supplier of trains for the “Haramain” project between Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. Talgo is also the manufacturer chosen by state-run companies in Germany and Denmark to decarbonise their mobility with up to 100 and 16 Talgo 230 Intercity trains, respectively.

About Flix SE

Flix intends to transform the collective transport sector by offering sustainable and affordable long-distance bus- and train travel solutions in more than 40 countries across four continents through its brands FlixBus, FlixTrain, Kamil Koç, and Greyhound. With its asset-light business model and innovative technology platform, Flix, launched in 2013, swiftly established a market-leading position for long-distance bus travel in Europe, North America and Türkiye and is rapidly expanding further into South America and India.

While Flix manages the commercial side of the business such as network planning, pricing, operations control, marketing and sales, quality management and continuous product development with a data-driven approach, trusted Flix partners conduct the daily operations. The innovative combination of Flix’s technology and sales platform with traditional passenger travel has turned a European start-up into a leading and globally expanding travel tech company.

In Germany, FlixTrain has been driving competition in long-distance rail transport since 2018 and has quickly established itself as a popular travel alternative. Similar to FlixBus, the technology platform is at the heart of FlixTrain’s business model. Today, FlixTrain directly connects around 50 cities, with an additional 600 that are bookable through cooperation with regional train services. FlixTrain operates the first and largest private long-distance train network in Germany, giving even more people access to sustainable and affordable mobility.

Media Contacts:

Talgo:

VK Comunicación
Virginia Knörr Barandiaran
Tfno: 944 01 53 06 – Móvil: 629 15 60 31
E-mail: virginia@vkcomunicacion.com

Maite Gutiérrez Álvaro
Tfno: 639 197 133
maite@vkcomunicacion.com

Flix:

Miguel Ángel Uriondo
uriondo@flixbus.com
prensa@flixbus.es
+34657977715

SOURCE: Talgo