Hungarian GYSEV ordered 10 new generation FLIRT trains from Stadler

Hungarian regional operator GYSEV Zrt. and Stadler signed a contract for the delivery of 10 four-car FLIRT type electric multiple units for regional operation. The first vehicles are expected to start service in 2018 in Western Hungary. With the current and earlier orders GYSEV will possess a fleet consisting of altogether 20 state-of-the-art FLIRT units.

GYSEV Zrt. issued an open public procurement for 10 low-floor electric multiple units in April this year. Manufacturers could apply until June, the winner of the procurement was Stadler Consortium formed by Stadler Polska Sp. z o.o. and Stadler Bussnang AG, the Polish and Swiss subsidiaries of the group. According to the delivery contract, the first train will be delivered in March 2018 while the last one is due to arrive until January 2019. Between 2013 and 2015 the railway operator purchased already 10 EMUs from Stadler within the frames of two separate public procurements, which means that with this order GYSEV expands its fleet to a total number of 20 FLIRT trains. The existing fleet is currently operating on the SopronSzombathely-Szentgotthárd, Sopron-Győr and the Szombathely-Rajka lines.

The new vehicles for Gysev already meet the requirements of the newest TSI (technical specification for interoperability) standards of the European Railway Agency, and also suit the latest Crash (EN 15227) collision norms, providing more safety to the loc driver. During the development of the third generation, Stadler’s engineers put special emphasis on low energy consumption, and maintenance friendly design was also an important aspect.

The new vehicles are 2.8 m longer than the first generation models, giving room for another classic toilet in addition to the one which meets TSI PRM standards for people with reduced mobility. The 77.1 m long and 2.82 m wide four-car EMUs have altogether 208 seats (194 fixed and 14 folding). Their maximum speed is 160 km/h, while their acceleration capacity is 1.2 m/s2 which means they will be able to speed up from 0 to 120 km/h in not more than only 39 seconds. The new generation FLIRTs also feature spacious, multifunctional boarding areas that enable rapid passenger exchange. Thanks to the multifunctional areas and the 90% low-floor share, the vehicles are easily approachable by passengers with wheelchairs, bicycles and strollers. Meeting the requirements of today’s standards, the vehicles are provided with air-conditioner, camera system, WIFI, charging facilities for electronic devices, as well as box seats suitable for regional transport.

A large portion of GYSEV’s order is to be fulfilled in Hungary, all of the 40 carbodies will be manufactured in Stadler’s factory located in Szolnok. Due to the latest investments, not only the carbodies but also the bogies can completely be produced in Hungary. Similarly to the earlier GYSEV orders, final assembly of the new trains will also take place in Stadler’s plant in Poland, Siedlce. The new EMUs will also be able to operate in synchronous operation not only with each other, but also with the earlier purchased FLIRT models. The possibility of double or triple traction operation brings significant economic benefits to GYSEV. The project’s value is 68.45 million EUR and is financed entirely from EU funds.

FLIRT is the most successful product of Stadler; the members of the vehicle family can be deployed on regional, commuter or intercity lines too. Stadler has already sold more than 1300 units in a total of 17 countries worldwide. With this order Stadler won orders for altogether 143 FLIRT units in Hungary, 123 for MÁV Zrt. and 20 for GYSEV Zrt.

About Stadler

Stadler has been building trains for 75 years. The system provider of rail vehicle construction solutions is headquartered in Bussnang in Eastern Switzerland, and has a workforce of around 7000 based in various locations across Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Belarus, Algeria, Australia and the United States. Stadler provides a comprehensive range of products in the railway and commuter rail segments: high-speed trains, intercity trains, regional and commuter rail trains, underground trains, tram trains and trams. In addition, Stadler manufactures main-line dual-mode locomotives, shunting locomotives and passenger carriages, including the most powerful dieselelectric locomotive in Europe. Stadler remains the world’s leading manufacturer in the rack-and-pinion rail vehicle industry. Additionally, Stadler Service maintains 16 vehicle fleets consisting of over 300 vehicles that cover a combined annual distance of 72 million kilometres.