Germany's most modern S-Bahn trains for Munich

In the new trains, the interior LED lighting varies depending on the time of day. Classic three- and four-seat arrangements offer more legroom than the trains currently in service. The cars also have group areas and folding seats. Greater passenger comfort and convenience is provided by free WiFi, improved mobile phone reception with special windows, USB and power sockets, and generous storage racks. A far more powerful air conditioning system operating with environmentally friendly refrigerants ensures pleasant interior temperatures even in extreme heat of up to 45 degrees Celsius.  

The passenger information system is completely new: Displays are located above the doors both inside and outside the car, on the ceiling, and in the transitions between the cars. The displays track the course of the journey and provide information about the stations and the occupancy of the respective train. Before passengers exit, the displays indicate where the closest stairs or elevators are located on the platform. Outside the train, LED strips show the color of the respective S-Bahn line. 

Wide doors and spacious entry areas ensure easy and quick boarding and exiting and ease the optimal distribution of passengers throughout the train. Depending on the train’s occupancy, the folding seats can be automatically locked in place to provide additional standing room. Five of the 13 cars have large multi-purpose zones, accessed through three doors, that provide sufficient room for bicycles, strollers, luggage, or walkers. Special areas at each end of the train provide space for wheelchairs. To better understand announcements made on the train, passengers with hearing aids can connect to the information system via Bluetooth.

The new trains are more innovative, more digitalized, and more networked than ever before in order to minimize lifecycle costs through maximum energy efficiency, lower maintenance costs, and optimized operational support. The S-Bahn trains are designed with a large number of redundant components and are equipped with the Railigent X system that guarantees maximum train availability. Railigent X is part of the open, digital Siemens Xcelerator business platform, which enables customers to achieve a simpler, faster, and readily scalable digital transformation. Moreover, software updates for the trains no longer have to be manually installed in the depot, which is time-consuming, but are transmitted to the trains via a secure online connection as part of the maintenance.

Siemens Mobility equips all trains with its European Train Control System [ETCS], an Automatic Train Operation (ATO) system, and a Train Integrity Monitoring System [TIMS]. The train’s ETCS system combines the latest, reliable technology with lower maintenance costs through standardization, and introduces interoperability to the Munich rail network, which DB plans to digitalize and equip with ETCS line equipment beginning in 2030. Thanks to their integration of ATO over ETCS, the new S-Bahn trains will be fit for rail transport of the future. 

From Bavaria, for Bavaria
Around 52,000 people work for Siemens in Bavaria, including nearly 28,000 in production, 8,700 in research and development, and around 15,000 in sales and administration. The company’s locations in Munich, Erlangen, Nuremberg and Luhe-Wildenau play an important role in the research and development and engineering of the new S-Bahn trains for Munich along with producing its components.

1st Munich S-Bahn contract
DB Regio has been providing transport services for the entire network of the Munich S-Bahn since December 2020 based on the 1st Munich S-Bahn contract concluded with Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG) – and is currently covering around 21 million train kilometers a year. The contract is a gross cost contract, meaning that the State of Bavaria receives the revenue from ticket sales and thus assumes revenue opportunities and risks. The Munich S-Bahn receives a fixed monthly customer compensation from BEG that covers all operating expenses. The contract also regulates, among other things, the procurement and deployment of the new trains. Incentives for particularly good performance by the operator, such as for reliability and service quality, supplement the contract model.

Financing and procurement model
Financing of the new S-Bahn trains was provided to Deutsche Bahn by Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft, which selected a lessor, LHI Leasing, based in Pullach near Munich, and two investors, the European Investment Bank and UniCredit Bank. The State of Bavaria made very favorable financing conditions possible with a capital service guarantee. 

Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft [BEG]
Owned by the State of Bavaria, the BEG plans, finances, and controls regional and S-Bahn transport in the state on behalf of the Bavarian Ministry for Transport. The BEG awards contracts for its transport services using Europe-wide award procedures.