Operation of the Ulm area network was tendered via a competitive European public procurement process, led by Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG). DB Regio, which currently operates the franchise, was granted the continued operation of the network on February 2018 for an additional twelve years.

The new rolling stock will be financed through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed by Deutsche Anlagen Leasing (DAL). The Alstom Coradia Lint 41 and 54 trains will benefit from redeployment guarantees by the public transport authorities to ensure usage of the new fleet beyond the concession’s twelve-year-term. Alstom Transport Deutschland will produce the trains at its plant in Salzgitter.

The public will benefit from efficient and competitive regional passenger rail services over the next few decades, while the rolling stock renewal will reduce emissions over the same time span compared with the trains currently in use.

“This investment emphasises our appetite to fund long-term core infrastructure projects, enables mobility solutions for communities and supports local industry. I am delighted to see institutional investors’ contribution to the infrastructure sector gaining in importance”, commented Dr Thomas Mann, Chief Investment Officer at Talanx Asset Management.