For the first time, Stadler will deliver 200 km/h KISS trains with the ‘fast’ cab design. And ÖBB will give them a Railjet livery. It concerns 14 units in a 186-unit framework agreement from 2022:
- 03.2022: Framework order for 186 KISS double-deck EMUs – Total volume around EUR 3 billion;
- Base order 2022: 1st order: 20 six-car + 21 four-car EMUs for regional traffic (Cityjet brand);
- 05.2023: +21 four-car EMUs (value EUR 243 million) – Cityjet – delivery before 31.05.2027;
- 05.2023: +14 six-car EMUs (value EUR 258 million) – Railjet – delivery before 20.08.2027.
- 10.2023: announcement of 3 five-car EMUs for the CAT – delivery in 2027.
February 7, 2025 – ÖBB releases first Railjet KISS images:
The first look at the new Class 4706 EMU:
On the way to Erlen
ÖBB 4706 101 during a transfer from Altenrhein/St.Margrethen to the Erlen commissioning center, in Erlen. Initially, the trains will replace the first-generation RailJet trains during their large overhaul in the next few years:
Commercial service starts in 2026
The first Railjet double-decker trains will enter service on the Weststrecke in 2026. With the completion of the Semmering Base Tunnel, use on the Südstrecke will start. The trains are ÖBB’s answer to the country’s continuously growing ridership.
The trains will have around 480 seats, 19% more than a standard single-deck Siemens Railjet train. The KISS trains accelerate faster, offer level access and have bigger doors so people can (un)board faster. There will be no dedicated restaurant area, instead two catering zones with vending machines for snacks and drinks will be available. ÖBB states that travel times on these lines, on average, will be too short to justify the installation of a full restaurant.
The trains will feature all the amenities of a modern train: power sockets, including USB and Wi-Fi, a modern passenger information system with real-time information, air conditioning, and video surveillance. There will be six toilets and a place for eight bikes on board. For passengers with limited mobility, there will be two dedicated wheelchair spaces with height-adjustable side-wall tables in the middle of the trains.
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