Stadler has begun testing a hydrogen-powered narrow-gauge train for Sardinia on a new test track in Switzerland, allowing the manufacturer to assess the vehicle’s performance before it enters service in Italy.
The train has been built for regional transport operator Azienda Regionale Sarda Trasporti (ARST) and is the world’s first narrow-gauge hydrogen train. Testing began in mid-October 2026 on a 950 mm-gauge track between Hemishofen and Ramsen in Switzerland.
The test programme will cover the hydrogen propulsion system, including operation with different hydrogen tank levels and at varying speeds. Further tests will assess acceleration, braking and other requirements for type approval.
Stadler developed the new track in collaboration with Bahninfra AG and Müller Gleisbau. Built in spring 2026, it extends for almost four kilometres between Hemishofen and Ramsen, using a third rail within an existing standard-gauge track.
The additional rail allows Stadler to test trains designed for the 950 mm gauge used on several regional networks in southern Italy, including in Apulia, Sicily, the Naples area and Sardinia.
Previously, Stadler could only test trains built for this gauge on their intended operating networks, as equivalent infrastructure was not available outside Italy. The new facility allows testing to take place closer to the manufacturer’s factory in Bussnang, Switzerland, making it easier to identify and address technical issues before the trains are delivered.
The existing standard-gauge track has also been used to test Stadler’s FLIRT H2 hydrogen-powered train developed for California.
The test track will support the commissioning of hydrogen trains being manufactured by Stadler for Sardinia, Calabria and Sicily over the next three years. A total of 21 vehicles are currently planned for testing at the facility.
For ARST, completing the initial testing phase in Switzerland will allow further trials to take place on Sardinia’s railway network ahead of entry into service.
Carlo Poledrini, General Director of ARST, said:The upcoming delivery of the new hydrogen trains represents a decisive step forward for ARST, with vehicles arriving in Sardinia having already completed a crucial testing phase. This will allow us to promptly launch final trials on our network, advancing both our zero-emission mobility goals and our path toward energy self-sufficiency. It is a concrete operational milestone that confirms the effective collaboration established with Stadler.
The programme forms part of Stadler’s work to introduce hydrogen propulsion to regional rail services operating on narrow-gauge infrastructure, where the availability of suitable testing facilities has previously limited the commissioning process.
