SBB announces plans to invest billions in 116 new double-decker trains for Zurich S-Bahn and western Switzerland, enhancing commuter services.

SBB is about to invest billions in its fleet: it wants to buy 116 new double-decker trains for the Zurich S-Bahn and western Switzerland, as it announced on Wednesday.

The new double-decker multiple-unit trains are primarily intended to replace the “DPZ double-decker commuter train” and the “HVZ-D rush-hour double-decker train” on the Zurich S-Bahn, as can be seen from the public tender for the contract.

The 100-metre-long trains of the first generation of the Zurich S-Bahn will have to be replaced after 40 years, the SBB states in its press release. 95 of the new trains with a length of 150 meters and over 500 seats are scheduled to enter regular service in the Zurich area in the 2030s.

A further 21 vehicles are planned for use in western Switzerland – on the RER Vaud and on the RE33 Martigny-Annemasse line. The trains in Zurich and in western Switzerland will have different interior and exterior colors.

The order includes an option for the delivery of 84 additional vehicles. The bids received from train manufacturers by the beginning of 2025 will show how high the costs for the purchase of the trains will be. In view of the large number of trains, “the order will be worth billions”, as SBB writes.

The new trains would have to meet the requirements of the Zurich S-Bahn. For example, additional multifunctional zones are needed to provide space for commuters who only want to travel short distances and stop during rush hour.

There are also plans for low-floor boarding at all doors and power sockets in 1st and 2nd class. Adjustable seats and folding tables are intended to increase comfort in 1st class. The trains will run at a maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour.

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