ÖBB’s largest commuter and regional train fleet complete: 294 Siemens Desiro ML Cityjets now in service with ÖBB

• Ten years of manufacturing partnership in Austria, with one million production hours completed
• 294th train delivered to ÖBB, completing a strong track record of on-time deliveries
• Desiro ML is the backbone of rail services across Austria

The largest train fleet in the history of the ÖBB is now complete. Today at Vienna Central Station, Siemens handed over the 294th Desiro ML train to ÖBB, marking the completion of the procurement program. All 294 trains, which operate as Cityjets, were delivered on time, with some arriving well ahead of schedule.

A total of 273 of the 294 trains were built in Austria through a manufacturing partnership between ÖBB TS and Siemens Mobility. More than one million production hours went into manufacturing 898 individual rail carriages to high-quality standards, while supporting jobs in procurement, logistics and commissioning. This represents a strong contribution to Austria’s rail industry. The Desiro ML fleet operates throughout Austria in various configurations, with trains ranging from 75 meters to more than 101 meters in length. The trains have become a popular and reliable part of local and regional rail services in Austria. The fleet is currently being upgraded with the latest ETCS train protection system, with completion scheduled for 2028. The trains will continue to play a key role in rail transportation in Vienna and Austria’s eastern region, including after the modernized Vienna’s central rail corridor reopens.

Andre Rodenbeck, Executive Vice President Rolling Stock, Siemens Mobility:

“294 trains delivered on time and years of reliable service demonstrate that the Desiro ML is a success story. Together with ÖBB, we have built Austria’s largest local and regional rail fleet, which today plays a major role in mobility across the country. We are proud of this achievement and look forward to continuing this success story together.”

An outstanding industrial achievement

The success story of the Desiro ML ÖBB Cityjet began with a tender in 2010, which Siemens won. The train made its world premiere at InnoTrans, the international rail trade fair in Berlin, in 2016. Passengers, however, had already been able to experience the new trains when the 2015 timetable took effect, initially on the S7 line between Vienna Floridsdorf and Vienna Airport. The trains introduced a range of amenities to local and regional services, including accessibility features, air conditioning, bicycle storage, Wi-Fi and onboard entertainment.

Europe showcase: battery-powered pilot project

One notable initiative was the “Desiro ML Cityjet Eco” project. From the project’s launch in 2019 through the train’s final journey in battery mode in 2020, ÖBB and Siemens explored the potential for operating the electric multiple unit on non-electrified routes, including the Kamptal railway line. For the project, Siemens equipped a test train with an alternative battery-powered drive system. It was the world’s first battery-powered train fully approved for passenger service. The train operated on a variety of routes across Austria and achieved a range of up to 110 kilometers in battery mode. The drive concept used in this project formed the technological basis for Siemens’s internationally successful battery-powered trains and is now being used in various projects, including in Germany and Denmark.

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Siemens Mobility is a separately managed company of Siemens AG. As a leader in intelligent transport solutions for more than 175 years, Siemens Mobility is constantly innovating its portfolio. Its core areas include rolling stock, rail automation and electrification, a comprehensive software portfolio, turnkey systems as well as related services. With digital products and solutions, and the use of industrial AI, Siemens Mobility is enabling mobility operators worldwide to make their infrastructure intelligent, increase value sustainably over the entire lifecycle, enhance passenger experience, and guarantee availability. In fiscal year 2025, which ended on September 30, 2025, Siemens Mobility posted revenue of €12.4 billion and employed around 43,400 people worldwide. Further information is available at: www.siemens.com/mobility