GERMANY'S MOST MODERN S-BAHN TRAINS FOR MUNICH

Passengers on Munich’s S-Bahn can soon look forward to travelling on the most modern S-Bahn trains in Germany.

The new S-Bahn trains ordered for Munich offer more space, greater comfort, and many innovations. The first trains are scheduled to enter passenger service at the end of 2028. For the first time in Germany, completely integrated S-Bahn trains with a total length of more than 200 meters will be in use, providing a capacity for 1,841 passengers. With the order, the State of Bavaria and the Munich S-Bahn are preparing for expected passenger growth in the coming decades and for the planned mobility transition. The trains are highly energy-efficient, require little maintenance, and receive software updates via the cloud.

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 colour 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.