Stadler officially unveiled the first CITYLINK TramTrain for Saarbahn on 9 June 2025 in Saarbrücken-Brebach.
This delivery is part of the major VDV-TramTrain procurement initiative, led by a consortium of six public transport operators from Germany and Austria.
Stadler will manufacture up to 504 vehicles under this joint agreement, with 28 of those ordered by Saarbahn, alongside options for a further 21.
This cross-national procurement project marks a collaborative effort among multiple operators to streamline costs and ensure interoperability. All vehicles are based on a standardised CITYLINK platform developed by Stadler and will be produced at the company’s Valencia facility. The TramTrains are designed to operate efficiently on both urban tram networks and regional railway lines.
The consortium’s joint order also includes a full-service contract for Stadler to maintain the vehicles throughout their operational lifetime. This unified approach to procurement and maintenance aims to reduce overall costs and ensure consistent quality and performance.
Karsten Nagel, Managing Director of Saarbahn said:The arrival of the first vehicle in Saarbrücken is a special milestone: with this vehicle, important parts of the testing and approval program will now be carried out on-site. Stadler is committed to completing the approval process as planned and on time. We look forward to the first new TramTrains in passenger service. Starting with the first vehicles that we expect to see in passenger service in the first half of 2026, we will then gradually replace the existing fleet after roughly 30 years of service by early 2028.
Before arriving in Saarbrücken, the CITYLINK vehicles underwent extensive testing. These included trial operations in Velim, Czech Republic, compatibility tests in Munich, and climatic assessments in Vienna. This multi-site approval process is designed to ensure reliability under a range of environmental and operational conditions.
Approval testing in Saarbrücken will involve both tramway and mainline railway regulations (BoStrab and EBO). Additionally, the new TramTrains will be certified for cross-border services into Saargemünd, France.
Many of the test results obtained from Saarbahn’s vehicles will be applicable to the entire fleet across the consortium, further supporting cost and technical efficiencies.
All CITYLINK TramTrains share the same core specifications: 37.2 metres in length, 2.65 metres in width, and a three-section design. The modular vehicles include standard features such as air conditioning in both driver and passenger compartments, as well as multipurpose spaces for accessibility and flexible use. Operators across the consortium will be able to customise internal configurations to suit local requirements.
