[DE] Baden-Württemberg orders Lint DMUs for the Zollernalbbahn

Landesanstalt Schienenfahrzeuge Baden-Württemberg (SFBW) has placed an order for eighteen Alstom Coradia Lint DMUs for use on the route Tübingen – Aulendorf, part of the Zollernalbbahn. 

The first new trains will enter service in December 2020. The 2-car Coradia Lint54 vehicles have a top speed of 140 km/h and 150 seats. The trains will, of course, feature air conditioning, WiFi, child-safe power outlets, a passenger information system and wheelchair accessible, multi-purpose areas and space for strollers and up to 18 bicycles.

The Lints will have the new white/yellow BWegt livery.

A new operator for Tübingen – Aulendorf?

The vehicles are acquired by Landesanstalt Schienenfahrzeuge Baden-Württemberg (SFBW) and will be made available to the railway operator responsible for the Tübingen – Aulendorf route. At this moment this is the Hohenzollerische Landesbahn, part of the Südwestdeutsche Landesverkehrs-AG (SWEG).

But soon, for public procurement reasons, Baden-Württemberg will release a tender find the best operator for the route. This company will take over from HzL/SWEG in December 2021.

Of course, it is very well possible that HzL/SWEG will place the best bid and may continue the operations, but under the new contract, Baden-Württemberg will be able to demand various service improvements.

Railcolor: It is not the first time Alstom receives an order for Coradia Lint trains for a BWegt contract. In 2017 SFBW ordered similar trains for ‘Netz 12’, also known as the Ulmer Stern. SWEG is the responsible operator. So we have a pretty good idea of what the trains will look like:

Alstom Coradia Lint 54 – SWEG 622 455/454/456 on 17.04.2019 in Eschwege in Nordhessen – southbound – Photo: Alexander Petzold