Stadler Rail secured contracts with Azienda regionale sarda trasporti (Arst) and Ferrovie della Calabria (FdC) for the development, production, delivery and maintenance of 10 and 15 hydrogen-powered FLIRT H2 trains respectively.
Although the value of the order has not been disclosed, the Swiss-based company shared that the two projects are being financed under the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). These funds are available to EU member states to prepare and invest in green and digital transitions.
“The new hydrogen-powered narrow-gauge trains are a world first and will pioneer sustainable rail transport on narrow-gauge lines around the world,” said Ansgar Brockmeyer, Stadler’s head of marketing and sales, quoted in a press statement.
This is the first order for this type of train in Europe. Stadler Rail won its first contract for a hydrogen train in 2019 in the US. It is expected to enter service in 2024 as part of the San Bernardino County Transit Authority (SBCTA) in California and will be the first hydrogen train in American passenger transport.
Popular Stories
More
Science
Switzerland now has a Professor of Gender Medicine. She’s here to stay.
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
Swiss air traffic control upgrade slows tempo for safety reasons
This content was published on
The upgrade of Switzerland’s air traffic control system will take longer than anticipated following a series of malfunctions.
Switzerland remains ‘world’s most innovative country’
This content was published on
Switzerland remains the world's most innovative country, still ahead of Sweden and the US on the WIPO Global Innovation Index.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.