Progress on a new fleet of cross-border regional trains for the Brenner Pass corridor is underway at Alstom’s Savigliano production facility. According to Railway Gazette, representatives from the Austrian state of Tirol and the Italian province of Alto Adige have visited the site to monitor the construction of 21 six-car Coradia Stream electric multiple units (EMUs) destined for Euregio service.

The procurement involves a combined effort between two entities: the Italian procurement body Strutture Trasporto Alto Adige, which ordered 15 units, and the Austrian operator ÖBB, which commissioned six units as part of its public service contract for the Tirol region. These multi-system trains are designed to navigate the distinct electrification standards of the region, specifically Italy’s 3 kV DC, Austria’s 15 kV 16.7 Hz, and the 25 kV 50 Hz power supply designated for the Vinschgau line.

Fleet Deployment and Specifications

Scheduled to enter service in mid-2027, the trains will provide hourly through-service between Innsbruck and Bolzano, with some trips extending to Merano and Malles. This operational shift removes the requirement for passengers to switch trains at the Austrian-Italian border, though crews will still swap at Brenner due to existing national regulations.

Why It Matters

The introduction of multi-system, through-service regional trainsets represents a broader trend in European rail integration: the removal of technical friction at national borders. By prioritizing seamless transit, regional authorities are attempting to shift traffic from the saturated road corridors of the Brenner Pass to rail. The inclusion of larger bicycle compartments also signals a strategic effort to cater to tourist markets, potentially boosting the economic efficiency of regional transit networks. This model serves as a blueprint for other European transit authorities seeking to modernize legacy cross-border regional links without necessitating full high-speed infrastructure investment.