Stadler has delivered the first of ten new FINK trains to Zentralbahn, Switzerland, where the vehicle will now begin a period of commissioning and testing ahead of its planned entry into passenger service in December 2026.
FINK 1 was transported overnight from Stadler’s production facility in Bussnang to Interlaken Ost between 12 and 13 August. The train was then unloaded and transferred onto the Zentralbahn network on 13 August.
Over the coming months, the vehicle will undergo commissioning and type testing from Meiringen under operating conditions.
The testing programme will assess areas including the train’s handling and braking performance, as well as the operation of its rack-and-pinion and adhesion drive systems. The vehicle control and train protection systems will also be tested before the train can receive final approval for regular passenger service.
Zentralbahn expects FINK 1 to enter service following the timetable change on 13 December 2026.
The train will initially operate on a new half-hourly service between Lucerne and Engelberg, which is also scheduled to begin on that date. The remaining nine FINK trains are due to be introduced gradually in the following weeks.
The new trains are being manufactured by Stadler in Bussnang. Each vehicle will provide 128 seats, comprising 111 in second class and 17 in first class. The production of each train takes an average of around ten months.
The FINK fleet forms part of Zentralbahn’s wider programme to renew and expand its rolling stock. From the end of 2027, seven additional ADLER trains are scheduled to join the fleet.
The procurement programme is the largest in Zentralbahn’s history and is intended to support the introduction of additional and more frequent services across its network.
