Siemens Unveils High-Tech S-Bahn Trains for Munich: Setting New Standards in Comfort and Efficiency

Siemens Unveils High-Tech S-Bahn Trains for Munich: Setting New Standards in Comfort and Efficiency

(IN BRIEF) Siemens Mobility has won an EU-wide tender to deliver 90 new S-Bahn trains for Munich, Germany, worth over two billion euros. The trains will provide more space, comfort, and innovations, with a total length of over 200 meters, accommodating 1,841 passengers. They are highly energy-efficient, have adjustable LED lighting, free WiFi, improved mobile phone reception, USB and power sockets, and generous storage racks. The passenger information system includes displays both inside and outside the cars, providing real-time journey information and platform details. The trains are equipped with a powerful air conditioning system, wide doors, and spacious entry areas for easy boarding and exiting. They are designed for maximum energy efficiency, lower maintenance costs, and optimized operational support through the Railigent X system. The trains will be equipped with the European Train Control System and Automatic Train Operation, ensuring their readiness for the rail transport of the future.

(PRESS RELEASE) MUNICH, 3-Aug-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Passengers on Munich’s S-Bahn can soon look forward to traveling on the most modern S-Bahn trains in Germany. Siemens Mobility will deliver 90 superlative new S-Bahn trains worth more than two billion euros after winning an EU-wide tender. The contract includes an option for additional trains. Financing for the trains is guaranteed by the State of Bavaria through a leasing model.

The new S-Bahn trains ordered for Munich offer more space, greater comfort, and many innovations. The first trains are scheduled to enter passenger service at the end of 2028. For the first time in Germany, completely integrated S-Bahn trains with a total length of more than 200 meters will be in use, providing capacity for 1,841 passengers. With the order, the State of Bavaria and the Munich S-Bahn are preparing for expected passenger growth in coming decades and for the planned mobility transition. The trains are highly energy-efficient, require little maintenance, and receive software updates via the cloud.

Evelyn Palla, Board Member for Regional Transport, Deutsche Bahn AG: “A 200-meter-long S-Bahn means higher capacity, better punctuality, and greater comfort for our passengers. Germany’s most modern S-Bahn trains will be an important component in our efforts to drive the mobility transition in the Munich region. Each of the new XXL trains will replace 1,500 cars during rush hours. This is truly local transport of the future.”

Bavarian Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter: “This marks a huge step towards ensuring even more climate-friendly mobility in Bavaria’s largest metropolitan area. We are heralding a new era and taking the Munich S-Bahn into the future. As the person responsible for regional rail transport in Bavaria, I can say that this investment is well worth the price. After all, no less than two-thirds of all local rail passengers in Bavaria will benefit from the trains, and virtually all local transport in the Munich region more or less depends on a well-functioning and attractive S-Bahn.”

Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility: “Siemens Mobility is especially proud to be delivering the most innovative S-Bahn trains in Germany. Providing unique digital functions, maximum passenger comfort, environmental protection, and operational safety, this S-Bahn train will set new standards for the mobility transition in Germany. In the future, passengers in Munich and the surrounding region will travel in comfortable trains that are exceptionally reliable and future-proof thanks to state-of-the-art Siemens rail technology.”

In the new trains, the interior LED lighting varies depending on the time of day. Classic three- and four-seat arrangements offer more legroom than the trains currently in service. The cars also have group areas and folding seats. Greater passenger comfort and convenience is provided by free WiFi, improved mobile phone reception with special windows, USB and power sockets, and generous storage racks. A far more powerful air conditioning system operating with environmentally friendly refrigerants ensures pleasant interior temperatures even in extreme heat of up to 45 degrees Celsius.

The passenger information system is completely new: Displays are located above the doors both inside and outside the car, on the ceiling, and in the transitions between the cars. The displays track the course of the journey and provide information about the stations and the occupancy of the respective train. Before passengers exit, the displays indicate where the closest stairs or elevators are located on the platform. Outside the train, LED strips show the color of the respective S-Bahn line.

Wide doors and spacious entry areas ensure easy and quick boarding and exiting and ease the optimal distribution of passengers throughout the train. Depending on the train’s occupancy, the folding seats can be automatically locked in place to provide additional standing room. Five of the 13 cars have large multi-purpose zones, accessed through three doors, that provide sufficient room for bicycles, strollers, luggage, or walkers. Special areas at each end of the train provide space for wheelchairs. To better understand announcements made on the train, passengers with hearing aids can connect to the information system via Bluetooth.

The new trains are more innovative, more digitalized, and more networked than ever before in order to minimize lifecycle costs through maximum energy efficiency, lower maintenance costs, and optimized operational support. The S-Bahn trains are designed with a large number of redundant components and are equipped with the Railigent X system that guarantees maximum train availability.

Railigent X is part of the open, digital Siemens Xcelerator business platform, which enables customers to achieve a simpler, faster, and readily scalable digital transformation. Moreover, software updates for the trains no longer have to be manually installed in the depot, which is time-consuming, but are transmitted to the trains via a secure online connection as part of the maintenance.

Siemens Mobility equips all trains with its European Train Control System [ETCS], an Automatic Train Operation (ATO) system, and a Train Integrity Monitoring System [TIMS]. The train’s ETCS system combines the latest, reliable technology with lower maintenance costs through standardization, and introduces interoperability to the Munich rail network, which DB plans to digitalize and equip with ETCS line equipment beginning in 2030. Thanks to their integration of ATO over ETCS, the new S-Bahn trains will be fit for rail transport of the future.

Additional information

From Bavaria, for Bavaria
Around 52,000 people work for Siemens in Bavaria, including nearly 28,000 in production, 8,700 in research and development, and around 15,000 in sales and administration. The company’s locations in Munich, Erlangen, Nuremberg and Luhe-Wildenau play an important role in the research and development and engineering of the new S-Bahn trains for Munich along with producing its components.

1st Munich S-Bahn contract
DB Regio has been providing transport services for the entire network of the Munich S-Bahn since December 2020 based on the 1st Munich S-Bahn contract concluded with Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG) – and is currently covering around 21 million train kilometers a year. The contract is a gross cost contract, meaning that the State of Bavaria receives the revenue from ticket sales and thus assumes revenue opportunities and risks. The Munich S-Bahn receives a fixed monthly customer compensation from BEG that covers all operating expenses. The contract also regulates, among other things, the procurement and deployment of the new trains. Incentives for particularly good performance by the operator, such as for reliability and service quality, supplement the contract model.

Financing and procurement model
Financing of the new S-Bahn trains was provided to Deutsche Bahn by Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft, which selected a lessor, LHI Leasing, based in Pullach near Munich, and two investors, the European Investment Bank and UniCredit Bank. The State of Bavaria made very favorable financing conditions possible with a capital service guarantee.

Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft [BEG]
Owned by the State of Bavaria, the BEG plans, finances, and controls regional and S-Bahn transport in the state on behalf of the Bavarian Ministry for Transport. The BEG awards contracts for its transport services using Europe-wide award procedures.

Siemens Mobility is a separately managed company of Siemens AG. As a leader in intelligent transport solutions for more than 175 years, Siemens Mobility is constantly innovating its portfolio. Its core areas include rolling stock, rail automation and electrification, a comprehensive software portfolio, turnkey systems as well as related services. With digital products and solutions, Siemens Mobility is enabling mobility operators worldwide to make infrastructure intelligent, increase value sustainably over the entire lifecycle, enhance passenger experience and guarantee availability. In fiscal year 2022, which ended on September 30, 2022, Siemens Mobility posted revenue of €9.7 billion and had around 38,200 employees worldwide. Further information is available at: www.siemens.com/mobility.

Munich S-Bahn
The Munich S-Bahn, with around 1,700 employees, is part of DB Regio AG and has been serving the city and surrounding region since 1972. More than 270 trains operate throughout the 444-kilometer rail network. Day for day, around two-thirds of all passengers using Bavaria’s local rail transport services ride on the Munich S-Bahn. The system’s operations are handled by around 1,700 employees. The DB initiative “Strong Munich S-Bahn – 14Plus Program” is currently focusing on making the S-Bahn system more efficient.

Media Contact:

Silke Thomson-Pottebohm
Siemens Mobility
0049 174 306 3307
silke.thomson-pottebohm@siemens.com

Florian Kreibe
Deutsche Bahn AG
(089) 1308 – 83179
presse.m@deutschebahn.com

Simon Schmaußer
Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wohnen, Bau und Verkehr
(089) 2192 – 3140
presse@stmb.bayern.de

SOURCE: Siemens AG