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  • Passenger News
  • 28. July 2021
  • Press Release | Alpha Trains

Sustainable mobility solutions through refurbishment and upgrade and redeployment of existing fleet

Prototype presented for upgrade and refurbishment of 35 Coradia Continental trains for Regio-S-Bahn Bremen / Lower Saxony


  • Prototype completed – milestone for Alpha Trains’ largest upgrade and refurbishment project
  • Sustainable usage concept by redeploying existing fleet
  • Successful collaboration between lessor, operator, and service company

Cologne, 28. July 2021 - On behalf of Alpha Trains, continental Europe’s largest lessor of trains and locomotives, Talbot Services has completed the prototype for the upgrade and refurbishment of a total of 35 multiple train units of the type Alstom Coradia Continental at the Talbot plant in Aachen. With the development of this prototype, all the prerequisites are met for the fast and smooth upgrade and refurbishment of the remaining vehicle fleet.

The long-term experience of the Alpha Trains engineering team with modernisation and refurbishment projects is a key advantage in the largest upgrade and refurbishment project in the company’s history. For example, the specifications were drawn up based on the requirements of the public transport authority, the technical specifications were developed in close collaboration with Talbot Services and the construction of the prototype closely supported by Alpha Trains.

“The prototype is truly impressive. The project is a prime example of how tried and tested rolling stock can be upgraded and refurbished to provide passengers with a level of convenience similar to that of new trains. The overall concept is both sustainable and future-proof due to the considerable savings in terms of resources”, says Thomas Schmidt, Managing Director of Alpha Trains Europa GmbH.

The previous and current operator of the fleet is NordWestBahn, a subsidiary of the French Transdev Group, which has been operating the trains on the 270-kilometre network of the Regio-S-Bahn Bremen/Lower Saxony (RSBN) since December 2010. The rail company prevailed in a Europe-wide tender in 2019 and won the order for the new transportation contract running until December 2036.

The refurbishment and modernisation of the further 34 existing trains will be carried out successively from January 2023 onwards, when two trains at a time will be refurbished and upgraded within a six-week period. “The prototype train offers a great foretaste of what awaits our passengers on the entire Regio-S-Bahn route network from 2023 onwards. With this state-of-the-art technology, we will hopefully be able to convince many more people of the convenience and the advantages of the Regio-S-Bahn network in particular, but also of regional rail transport in general,” says Ulrich Ehrhardt, Managing Director of NordWestBahn.

For the change to the winter timetable in December 2022, 16 new Stadler Flirt XL trains will be added to the existing Coradia fleet in order to expand the route network, which means that a total of 51 electric multiple units from Alpha Trains will then be in operation in and around the Hanseatic City Bremen.

The upgrade of the trains at a glance

The upgrade of the trains includes equipping them with Wi-Fi, including a preliminary set-up for 5G and the installation of a new passenger information system with large screens and real-time information on connecting trains. The vehicles will also be equipped with power sockets for charging e-bikes, a modern video monitoring system, energy-efficient LED lighting, tinted scratch-resistant foil and numerous other power outlets.

The refurbishment includes the new livery in Transdev design and a contemporary interior design with a new seat upholstery and covers, new armrests and tables to complete the picture.  Hygiene standards in these refurbished trains will also be far higher and in future they will be fitted with disinfectant and fragrance dispensers in the toilets as well as highly resistant powder coating systems on the handrails. 

Accessibility for passengers with limited mobility has also been optimised and includes the installation of a guidance system for the blind, door buttons with a locator tone and improved access to the spacious multi-purpose area designed for prams, wheelchairs and bicycles.


About Alpha Trains

Alpha Trains is the leading rolling stock lessor in Continental Europe. 125 employees from 15 countries work in offices in Luxembourg, Antwerp, Cologne, Madrid and Paris. Alpha Trains owns more than 850 locomotives and passenger trains and offers tailor-made leasing solutions, comprehensive know-how in maintenance and vehicle repairs as well as long-term experience in the financing of new build projects. Alpha Trains′ fleets are in use by many public and private operators in 19 European countries. Alpha Trains′ shareholders are APG, Arcus European Trains and PGGM.

Contact Alpha Trains Group
Heike Zimmermann
Group Head of PR & Marketing
Phone: +49 221 9140 9063
heike.zimmermann@alphatrains.eu


About NordWestBahn GmbH

Since its inception in 1999, NordWestBahn has grown to become one of the largest rail companies in Germany: Every year, over 1000 employees convey around 40 million passengers reliably, safely and comfortably to their destinations in a network of around 1,500 kilometres. With currently 20 lines between Niederrhein, the Ruhr District, Ost-Westfalen, Weserbergland, Osnabrück, Bremen, Bremerhaven and the North Sea, the company’s trains connect the entire North West of Germany. NordWestBahn GmbH is part of the Transdev Group and is headquartered in Osnabrück.

Contact NordWestBahn GmbH
Stephanie Nölke, Referentin Kommunikation
Deputy Head of Communications & PR
Phone: +49 (0)541 2002-4205
Mobil: +49 (0)1520 9349241
stephanie.noelke@nordwestbahn.de
www.nordwestbahn.de
www.transdev.de