Italian railway operators Azienda Regionale Sarda Trasporti (ARST) and Ferrovie della Calabria (FdC) have awarded Stadler two framework agreements for the supply and maintenance of 10 narrow-gauge hydrogen trains for ARST in Sardinia and 15 similar vehicles for FdC in Calabria. The vehicles will be developed and built at Stadler ‘s headquarters in Bussnang, Switzerland.
The first call order covers the delivery of 12 hydrogen trains, 6 for each of the two Italian companies.
This will make Stadler the first train manufacturer in the world to supply narrow-gauge trains with hydrogen propulsion. In addition, after delivering the Flirt H2 for American passenger transport, Stadler is now also supplying hydrogen trains to Europe for the first time.
The vehicles will be equipped with ecological fuel-cell and hydrogen propulsion and be dedicated to regional and suburban services for the narrow-gauge (950-mm) network in the two Italian regions.
The new trains consist of two passenger cars, whose lightweight aluminium construction helps to increase the train’s energy efficiency, and a power pack to house the fuel cells and hydrogen tanks, as well as other technical equipment.
With an overall length of around 50 metres, the new trains have 89 seats per vehicle for a total of 155 passengers transported and are fully accessible for people with reduced mobility. The new multiple units offer specific areas for wheelchairs, pushchairs and bicycles positioned near the access and exit doors, as well as a PRM toilet compliant with TSI standards.
The two framework agreements and initial call-off orders will enable Stadler to further strengthen its leading role in the decarbonisation of rail transport. Stadler is the world’s first railway manufacturer to develop, build and deliver narrow-gauge multiple units with hydrogen propulsion. For Stadler, this is also the first order for hydrogen trains in Europe. It follows Stadler’s delivery of the FLIRT H2, the world’s first hydrogen train, for American passenger transport. The two orders from ARST and FdC are also the first contracts for narrow-gauge multiple units with hydrogen propulsion for use in Italy.
The procurement for narrow-gauge hydrogen trains for both operators is being financed with EU funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
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