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Long overdue: New FLIRT Intercity trains revolutionise Hungarian railways
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Stadler and Győr-Sopron-Ebenfurt Railways (GYSEV) Ltd. have recently concluded a contract for the provision of nine FLIRT Intercity electric multiple units, with an option for an additional four. These trains are scheduled for service on the Sopron-Budapest and Szombathely-Budapest routes starting in 2027.
The dual-current vehicles are designed for seamless travel across Hungary and Austria, offering versatility and efficiency. These state-of-the-art five-car trainsets are being manufactured at Stadler’s Szolnok plant. The supply contract will come into effect upon the finalisation of a financing agreement with GYSEV, which secures a European Investment Bank (EIB) loan to facilitate the procurement, as reported by infostart.hu.
GYSEV Ltd. has a three-month window after the contract takes effect to determine the number of optional trains it will order. The delivery timeline indicates that Stadler will deliver the first vehicle 36 months after the contract enters into force, with the final unit of the initial order entering service within 44 months. Subsequently, Stadler will have an additional two years to acquire the required licenses for operating the trains in Austria.
In three procurement rounds between 2013 and 2019, the railway company ordered a total of 20 FLIRT trains from Stadler, marking the first acquisition of new intercity trains in Hungary in three decades.
The new GYSEV trains
The new intercity vehicles represent a departure from the existing GYSEV fleet, featuring a maintenance-friendly design and state-of-the-art electric traction motors that enhance energy efficiency, therefore reducing overall lifetime costs. These five-carriage trains, capable of speeds up to 160 kilometres per hour, span 106.2 metres in length and offer flexible seating arrangements to accommodate seasonal demands.
Elsewhere these are commuter trains, not used for intercity services of many hours for which their ironing board seats are unsuitable. The existing intercity carriages used on Sopron and Szombathely services offer a superior experience for travellers compared to these sets. In any case, how is it news for the general public that they’re due to enter service in 2027, that’s 3 years from now, or longer? This sort of article is more at home in a railway industry magazine.