[DE] First visual: FLIRT XL for S-Bahn Rhein-Ruhr [updated]

Our first visual on the brand new Flirt XL for the S-Bahn Rhein-Ruhr. The trains were ordered following a two-part rolling stock procurement, which Verkehrsverbundes Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) carried out in 2016.

We thank Alexander Petzold and Frank Weimer for sharing their interesting pictures with us.

Design impression of the interior – Photo: VRR
VRR > Abellio ‘3429 001’ in München on 25.02.2019 – Photo: Frank Weimer

Back in October 2016 Verkehrsverbundes Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) selected Abellio and Keolis as the new operators of its rapid transit railway network: the S-Bahn Rhein-Ruhr. Starting in December 2019 Keolis will deploy used DB Regio series 422 EMUs on S-bahn lines S1 and S4, Abellio will operate brand new FLIRT XL EMUs built by Stadler Rail in Pankow (DE). These vehicles are to be used on lines S2, S28, S3, S9, RB3, RB40, and RB41.

  • 17x 3-car Flirt 3XL for the S2, S28 – no. 3427 001-017 (008-017 in red-white-grey design)
  • 24x 5-car Flirt 3XL for the S3, S9, RB3, RB40, RB41 – no. 3429 001-024

Now we have a first visual of 5-car unit: Below you see ’94 80 3429 001′ passing through the village of Grosskorbetha (DE), on its way to Munich on 23.02.2019. It has the same green/light grey livery as the ET422s, only the pictos of famous building and attractions from the region are still missing.

26.02.2019: Under the supervision of RailAdventure the EMU was taken from Munich to Austria

VRR > Abellio ‘3429 001’ in Grosskorbetha on 25.02.2019 – Photo: Alexander Petzold