[DE] Hessische Landesbahn orders Coradia Continental for Mittelhessen network

More Coradia Continental trains for German operator Hessische Landesbahn GmbH (HLB), that is the conclusion of today’s press release from Alstom. 32 to be more precise, and they will cost EUR 200 million.

They have a capacity 200/280 seats respectively and are needed for ‘Teilnetz Mittelhessen’ (Central Hesse subnetwork):

  • Line RB37: (Kirchhain – Marburg –) Gießen – Frankfurt Hbf;
  • Line RB40: Dillenburg – Gießen – Frankfurt Hbf;
  • Line RB41: Schwalmstadt – Treysa – Gießen – Frankfurt Hbf;
  • Line RB49: (Gießen –) Friedberg – Hanau Hbf.

In May of this year, the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund and Verkehrsverbund und Fördergesellschaft Nordhessen, announced that HLB was the winner of the Central Hesse subnetwork concession, which starts on 10.12.2023, covering a period of fifteen years.

The new trains will feature various multi-purpose areas, sliding steps, Wi-Fi, power plugs, video surveillance, and real-time passenger information. The topspeed will be 160 km/h

We mentioned ‘more’ trains of this type, as HLB already operates a fleet of Continentals on its on the Südhessen-Untermain railway network:

  • 13 3-car trains, ordered in 2015 – series 1440.3
  • 22 4-cars trains, 17 ordered in 2015, five more in 2018 – series 1440.1
A train for the Südhessen-Untermain concession – Photo: Martin Voigt