© Alpha Trains/Stadler
- Locomotives News
- 04. March 2026
- Press Release | Alpha Trains
Press release
Alpha Trains and Lineas strengthen partnership with EURO9000 Locomotives supporting sustainable rail freight
- Alpha Trains and Lineas sign a lease agreement for two Stadler EURO9000 locomotives.
- The locomotives form part of Alpha Trains’ 2023 order of 12 Stadler EURO9000 locomotives, supporting the transition to zero-emission rail freight on the North-South corridor.
Antwerp/Luxembourg, 4 March 2026 - Alpha Trains, Europe’s leading leasing company for locomotives and trains, and Lineas, a leading European rail freight operator and a strategic logistics partner for the industry, have further deepened their long-standing partnership with the signing of a leasing agreement for two state-of-the-art Stadler EURO9000 locomotives. The agreement marks another milestone in Alpha Trains’ commitment to accelerating the shift towards low- and ultimately zero-emission rail transport across Europe and supports Lineas’ strategy in offering tailored solutions to its customers.
The two locomotives are part of Alpha Trains’ strategic order of 12 Stadler EURO9000 locomotives placed in 2023, reflecting the company’s long-term investment in modern, energy-efficient and future-ready traction solutions. The first locomotive is expected to be delivered as early as March 2026. The locomotives will be governed under a full-service lease provided by Alpha Trains, with maintenance and technical support delivered by Stadler Rail Services, ensuring high availability and reliable performance throughout the lease term. This step significantly extends the collaboration between the two companies, driving improvements in both efficiency and sustainability across international rail freight operations.
The EURO9000 represents the latest generation of six-axle hybrid multi-system locomotives. With its high traction capability and hybrid propulsion system, combing electric traction with diesel capability, it enables efficient cross-border operations on the Rhine-Alpine Corridor connecting the major North Sea ports with Southern Europe and the Mediterranean. This makes the EURO9000 a key enabler for sustainable operations on Europe’s heavy-duty North-South freight corridors.
By expanding the collaboration with these advanced locomotives, Alpha Trains and Lineas are jointly reinforcing their commitment to more efficient, flexible and environmentally responsible rail freight, particularly in the German market. Lineas is leveraging the EURO9000′s dual-power capability by deploying it for domestic German traffic, thereby bridging the gap between electrified and non-electrified lines.
“We are delighted to support Lineas with the EURO9000, the most powerful locomotive currently operating on the European market,” says Guus de Boer, Commercial Director, Alpha Trains Locomotives. “Its exceptional performance and operational efficiency make it ideally suited for demanding freight services, and this agreement clearly demonstrates the market’s confidence in the EURO9000 as a key backbone of modern rail freight on the Rhine–Alpine corridor.”
“The EURO9000 combines power, flexibility and sustainability, making it a perfect fit for the international freight corridors we operate. This partnership with Alpha Trains allows us to further strengthen our services in Germany and across Europe while continuing to reduce the environmental impact of freight transport,” says Alban François, Chief Operating Officer, Lineas.
The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) with a total of 15 million euros as part of the ‘Guideline for the Promotion of Alternative Drive Systems in Rail Transport / Passenger Buses’. The funding guideline is coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ). This programme, established in February 2021, aims to increase the share of low-emission and alternative propulsion systems in both passenger and freight rail by reducing the additional investment cost of innovative drive technologies and stimulating market uptake of climate-friendly solutions. Funding for this measure is also provided under the German Recovery and Resilience Plan (DARP) through the European Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) within the NextGenerationEU programme.
About Alpha Trains
Alpha Trains is the leading private rolling stock lessor in Continental Europe. A total of 150 employees from 20 countries work in offices in Luxembourg, Antwerp, Cologne, Madrid, Paris and Warsaw. Alpha Trains owns more than 1,000 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 at many public and private operators in 22 European countries. Alpha Trains′ shareholders are APG, Arcus European Trains, PGGM and Swiss Life.
Contact Alpha Trains Group
Heike Zimmermann, Group Head of PR & Marketing
Phone: +49 221 9140 9063
[email protected]