28 "backup" Mireos for Baden-Württemberg

On 10 August 2023 Siemens Mobility has won the 300 million EUR order for the delivery of 28 three-car Mireo EMUs for the DKS (Digitaler Knoten Stuttgart, Digital Node Stuttgart) pilot project of DSD (Digitale Schiene Deutschland, Digital Rail Germany). The trains will have complete DSD equipment, including the latest ETCS OBU and GoA 2 ATO. The Mireo will be capable of operating on steep lines and be approved for operation in Austria. The framework agreement, signed with the SFBW (Landesanstalt Schienenfahrzeuge Baden-Württemberg, State Institute for Rail Vehicles Baden-Württemberg), includes a ten-year maintenance contract with an option for extending it by a further 20 years. 

The 218-seat trains are scheduled for delivery between November 2025 and April 2026.  This is the first order for Siemens Mobility requiring the implementation of complete DSD train equipment. Siemens Mobility will also equip the trains with a Train Integrity Monitoring System (TIMS) as well as the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) for the first time in Germany. 

The head of the State Ministry of Transport, Berthold Friess, said: “Baden-Württemberg is continuing to be a trailblazer in the digitization of railways. Over the next ten years, the 28 ordered Mireos will primarily serve to keep passenger operations in the state as convenient and comfortable as possible while the existing fleet is being retrofitted with DSD technology. Siemens Mobility is now the second industrial partner for integrating complete DSD equipment in our trains (Editor's note: the first one was Alstom). This will significantly accelerate the development of a fully digitized rail system in Germany.”

Replacement train requirements

In the course of implementing the nationwide rollout of “Digital Rail Germany”, including the Digital Node Stuttgart pilot project, existing trains purchased by the SFBW and leased to various operators have to be retrofitted with DSD equipment. During these retrofits, trains leased to the operators are not available for use. The need for their replacements is set for a period of at least ten years and they must ensure the highest degree of flexibility due to uncertainties involved in expanding the infrastructure and carrying out the DSD retrofits.

The goal is to be able to swap trains and provide replacements to the operators while their trains are being retrofitted. The Mireos can also be used as a redundancy fleet as needed. They will initially operate in the Stuttgart metropolitan region as part of the DKS pilot project and subsequently be used throughout the state of Baden-Württemberg and neighboring states. It is planned to approve the Mireos for operation in Austria and for border routes to Switzerland, such as to the central station of Basel.

Ten-year maintenance contract

The framework agreement also includes a comprehensive ten-year maintenance contract with an option for extending it by a further 20 years. Digital services based on the Railigent X application suite from Siemens Mobility will also be provided.