Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) plans to further expand its international service to Germany, probably from 2026. This will require trains that can run on Deutsche Bahn’s high-speed network. SBB is therefore purchasing seven additional Giruno trains from Stadler. On June 9, 2024, the first Giruno ran between Zurich HB and Frankfurt (Main).
Important milestone in the joint expansion of rail services between Germany and Switzerland
On June 9, 2024, the modern SBB train Giruno was used for the first time on the route between Zurich HB and Frankfurt (Main) Hbf (ECE/EC 472/151).
From the 2026 timetable, the Giruno will also systematically serve other cities in the German network.
The vehicle is intended for additional direct connections; including between Interlaken/Brig and North Rhine-Westphalia, Chur/Zurich and Hamburg, and Chur/Zurich and Berlin. As is well known, the SBB ordered seven new Giruno trains in 2022 for the planned expansion of the service. The train is very popular with travelers thanks to its spacious and bright interior. SBB claims the Giruno will further increase the comfort and attractiveness of cross-border travel.
DB and SBB plans to expand cross-border travel
DB and SBB are continuing to expand their international passenger transport offerings between Switzerland and Germany. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for train travel to Germany was rising steadily. Today, it is already back to the level of 2019. More direct connections via Basel to various destinations in Germany are expected to be offered from 2026 onwards.
For the planned expansion of services, SBB first ordered seven more Giruno trains from Stadler. These meet the speed requirement of 250 km/h for use on DB’s high-speed routes. The trains will travel between Switzerland and Germany via Basel. The investment amounted to around CHF 250 million (EUR 250 million)
At the begining of the year Swiss Railways decided to place an additional order for five Stadler Giruno trains, following the seven ordered in 2022.
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