Italian rail operator Italo has agreed a €3.6 billion deal with Siemens Mobility to buy 26 high-speed trains, with an option for 14 more, as it prepares to launch services in Germany in 2028.
The deal covers the purchase of 26 Velaro train sets, capable of speeds of up to 320 kilometres per hour. The trains will have 450 seats across three travel classes — Club Executive, Prima Business and Smart — as well as a bistro car and Starlink high-speed wifi for passengers.
The agreement also includes the recruitment and training of around 2,500 employees, investment in stations and IT infrastructure, and a 30-year full-service contract covering maintenance at Siemens’ Dortmund depot, the companies said.
The trains will be deployed on Germany’s high-speed rail network from mid-2028. Italo plans to launch services on two main corridors — Munich-Cologne-Dortmund and Munich-Berlin-Hamburg — serving 18 cities across a 1,300-kilometre network with 50 daily services.
The “landmark” project follows a decision earlier this month by Bundesnetzagentur, Germany’s network regulator, to open the country’s long-distance railways to greater competition. The market has long been dominated by state-owned operator Deutsche Bahn.
"We are committed to bringing German passengers greater choice, more frequent services, fair prices and a high-quality service,” said Gianbattista La Rocca, CEO of Italo Holding, which owns Italo, Itabus and the newly formed Italo International, the entity responsible for managing Italo's business in foreign markets.
“Following the Bundesnetzagentur decision, we are now ready to take the concrete steps needed to launch services in 2028, from the hiring and training of staff to the development of the full industrial, operational, and commercial structure of our new German business,” Rocca said in a statement.