Siemens Wins Order from DB Regio for 57 Multiple-Unit Trains

DB Regio AG has ordered 57 three-car Mireo trainsets. Following the product’s launch in the summer of 2016, this is the second order for Siemens’ new regional and commuter train platform. The trains will be built at the company’s factory in Krefeld, Germany. Commissioning will follow in two stages: Service on routes in the states of Baden-Württemberg and southern Hesse will begin in December 2020, while service on the Mannheim – Mainz route largely in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate will begin operation in December 2021.

“We’re especially pleased by the trust DB Regio is placing in us with this follow-up order. This marks a further important milestone for the latest generation of our regional train, the Mireo. The Mireo combines a high level of performance, comfortable passenger experience and optimal flexibility over the train’s entire lifecycle,” said Sabrina Soussan, CEO of Siemens’ high-speed trains, regional trains and locomotives business.

The Mireo will operate as an S-Bahn (regional suburban rail system) on the future lines S5, S6, S8 and S9 in the Rhine-Neckar region. In addition, it will serve as the “Murgtäler Radexpress” on the route between the cities of Mannheim and Baiersbronn. Customers for the Mireo are the Ministry for Transportation in Baden-Württemberg, the Zweckverband Schienenpersonennahverkehr Rheinland-Pfalz Süd (special-purpose association for regional rail transportation Rhineland-Palatinate south) (ZSPNV RLP Süd) and the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar GmbH (VRN – Rhine-Neckar Public Transport Network). When the trains are delivered, ownership will be transferred to a state company and they will be leased by DB Regio for the duration of the 14-year transport contract.
The Mireo is conceived as a scalable articulated train. With the help of its new aerodynamic design and quiet bogies, noise is substantially reduced. The train’s lightweight construction, energy-efficient components and intelligent board network management system reduce energy consumption by 25 percent compared to predecessor models. To meet the requirements of the public contracting authority, DB Regio has paid special attention to providing passenger comfort in the trains: The three-car trains have 200 seats as well as multi-purpose space available for wheelchairs, bicycles and strollers. The cars have entrance heights of 76 cm that enable level access at all platforms. In addition, the Mireo offers its passengers on-board WLAN, extensive passenger assistance and information systems, and state-of-the-art security monitoring systems.

Technical data for the Mireo (Rhine-Neckar S-Bahn):
Three-car articulated train
Length: 70 meters
Top speed: 160 km/h