Trinational S-Bahn: 33 new Flirt Evo France trains for the Basel area
From the end of 2030, a direct suburban railway will connect north-west Switzerland and Alsace. By ordering 33 Flirt Evo France trains from Stadler, SBB is preparing the infrastructure for a modern, cross-border railway service.
New S-Bahn connections for the Basel area
Every day, 60,000 people commute in the border triangle of Switzerland, France and Germany – including 30,000 commuters between Alsace and north-west Switzerland. Around 90 per cent of them currently use the car. This is set to change: From the end of 2030, a direct S-Bahn connection will be introduced between north-west Switzerland and Alsace. The aim is to get as many commuters as possible onto the railway, including the more than 6,000 employees in the EuroAirport catchment area and the approximately eight million air passengers a year.
Introduction in stages
The new cross-border S-Bahn lines will be introduced in stages:
- From December 2030: Commissioning of the S2 (Olten-Basel-Mulhouse) and S4 (Laufen-Basel-St. Louis) lines every 30 minutes.
- From 2034/35: Connection of EuroAirport to both lines, together with the French regional express line Strasbourg-Mulhouse-Basel (TER200) every 10 minutes between EuroAirport and Basel SBB.
Procurement of the new trains
SBB is procuring 33 Flirt Evo France trains from Stadler to operate the new railway service. These vehicles are characterised by two special features:
- A standardised fleet:
The trains can be used in both countries, which reduces complexity and increases operational flexibility. The vehicles can be efficiently coupled as single or multiple traction and replace the previous vehicles on the Mulhouse-Basel line (TEROmnibus). - Two systems:
The trains are technically equipped to be authorised in Switzerland and France. They have two integrated traction current and railway safety systems to ensure smooth cross-border operation.
Investment and project management
The investment for the procurement of the 33 trains amounts to around 320 million Swiss francs. SBB and SNCF Voyageurs jointly founded EuroBasilea AG in July 2023 to ensure efficient preparation and timely commissioning of the new service. Further information is available at www.eurobasilea.com