The first double-decker trains, which SBB introduced on the Zurich S-Bahn network in 1990, contributed to the success of the Zurich S-Bahn. After 40 years of service, these trains are now being replaced. SBB put the procurement contract out to public tender in June 2024.
Today, SBB awarded the contract for 116 new double-decker trains to the manufacturer Siemens Mobility. 95 vehicles will be put into service on the Zurich S-Bahn network from the 2030s onwards.
Today, SBB awarded the contract for 116 new double-decker trains to the manufacturer Siemens Mobility. 95 vehicles will be used on the Zurich S-Bahn network from the 2030s onwards. 21 trains will operate in French-speaking Switzerland on the RER Vaud network and on the RE33 Martigny–Annemasse line.
The vehicles will also be used for future service expansions. The procurement therefore includes an option for 84 additional vehicles.
More space and comfort for travellers and commuters
The new double-decker trains are specially designed to meet the needs of commuters, but also offer leisure travellers a high level of comfort. Thanks to spacious multifunctional areas, passengers can quickly board and alight on what are often very short journeys in urban areas. At the same time, leisure travellers with luggage or passengers travelling with children are offered more space.
The new trains offer significantly more space. Each train is around 150 metres long and has around 540 seats and eight spacious multifunctional areas for standing or storing bicycles, luggage and pushchairs. During peak hours, the trains run in double traction (300 metres) and offer
45 additional seats and over 30 per cent more standing room than the first-generation double-decker commuter trains (DPZ) of the same length.
The new trains also offer:
- low-floor entrances at all doors, making access easier for all passengers
- greater comfort in 1st class thanks to adjustable seats, folding tables and more legroom
- power sockets at seats in 1st and 2nd class so that passengers can charge their devices while on the move multifunctional zones with power sockets for charging e-bikes
- better customer information in the passenger compartment thanks to more and larger screens; in addition, a light strip above the doors indicates the correct side to exit
- additional emergency call points so that passengers can quickly request help if necessary two toilets per train
Defined evaluation criteria for this procurement
SBB awarded the major contract in accordance with the provisions of public procurement law (BöB/VöB). The clear, measurable award criteria were investment costs, operating expenses, fulfilment of specifications, quality and service contracts.
Siemens Mobility submitted the most advantageous bid in accordance with procurement law and scored highest in terms of investment costs, operating costs (energy/maintenance) and sustainability criteria. The investment volume amounts to around CHF 2 billion.
With this investment, SBB is enhancing the attractiveness of rail transport and contributing to modern, efficient and sustainable mobility.
Proven supplier with experience in the segment
Siemens Mobility has already built the proven second-generation double-decker trains for Zurich’s S-Bahn, which have been reliably serving customers since the mid-2000s; Siemens is one of Switzerland’s largest industrial employers. The manufacturer has extensive experience in the production and approval of passenger trains and has recently successfully completed numerous orders in Europe, including in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark and the United Kingdom.
Great regret at Stadler
Stadler has noted with great regret the decision by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) not to award the framework contract for 200 double-deck trains (116 in the initial order, 84 optional) to the company. According to Stadler, the effective price difference compared to the successful bidder Siemens is only 0.6 percentage points. The company, which employs around 6,000 people in Switzerland, would have manufactured the trains entirely in Bussnang and St. Margrethen, involving over 200 local suppliers. CEO Markus Bernsteiner described the decision as a ‘great disappointment’ in view of the proven reliability of Stadler KISS trains, which have a 99 per cent availability rate in SBB operations. These trains have been operating successfully on Zurich’s S-Bahn network since 2012, with a total of around 700 KISS units sold worldwide, 192 of them in Switzerland. Stadler emphasises that up to 80 per cent of the added value from orders for Switzerland remains in the country. The company now intends to examine the SBB’s assessment in detail. Despite losing the order, Stadler reaffirms its long-term commitment to its home market and its investments in new technologies, training and infrastructure. Stadler employs 16,600 people worldwide at eight production and six engineering sites. The company is a leading manufacturer of double-deck and rack railway vehicles.
07.11.2025
