Stadler has completed the delivery of the first of seven metre-gauge trains for Transports de Martigny et Règions (TMR) and the French state railway, SNCF.
The units, which were assembled in Bussnang, Thurgau, are set to be introduced into passenger service on the Mont Blanc Express route between Martigny (CH) and St-Gervais (FR) from mid-2026, replacing the existing legacy fleet currently in operation.
The new trains are capable of a variety of modular combinations, increasing passenger capacity during high volume periods.
Frédéric Evequoz, Sales Manager for Customised Vehicles at Stadler, said:We are delighted that we can help improve passenger comfort on the spectacular railway line between Valais and Haute-Savoie with our trains.
The new vehicles signify a commitment to modern and environmentally-friendly travel, cross-border cooperation and technological innovation in the Alpine region.
Each vehicle has been designed for combined use on both cogwheel and adhesion lines, featuring the capacity to operate in double traction on the cogwheel section. The trains are fully compliant with the Swiss Disability Discrimination Act (BehiG) and allow for seamless boarding for those with reduced mobility.
Modern consumption control systems have also been installed on-board to ensure environmentally-friendly operation, with braking energy converted into electrical energy.
The modernisation of Mont Blanc’s fleet is part of a new public transport strategy for the region and has seen support from the Swiss Confederation, the canton of Valais and the French Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (AURA).
The project has been valued at 76 million CHF, with the remaining six trains set to be delivered by autumn 2025.
