Direct BEMU services between Annaberg-Buchholz and Leipzig to launch in December 2026
posted on 13th Oct 2026 08:14
The charging infrastructure for battery-electric trains in Annaberg-Buchholz Süd is operational. Following final tests, the launch date for the direct service connecting Annaberg-Buchholz, Chemnitz, and Leipzig has been confirmed: the timetable change on 13 December 2026. Coradia Continental BEMUs will be used, operating directly during early morning and late evening hours. The exact timetable for the new services has not yet been finalized. These BEMUs are already in regular service between Chemnitz and Leipzig (RE 6).
VMS Managing Director Mathias Korda stated: "Working with numerous partners, the VMS has established this new direct service, featuring state-of-the-art rail technology, under local authority management. We are directly connecting the Erzgebirge with the major urban center of Leipzig, Central Germany's most important long-distance rail hub. Structural change in the automotive industry is transforming our region. Through this direct service, as well as the continued expansion of infrastructure across the entire transport association area, the VMS and its partners are supporting this necessary structural transition."
Steffen Röhlig, through his company Rail Power Systems (RPS), is one of the key figures behind the conception and practical implementation of this charging infrastructure. Effectively a container-sized wallbox, the system draws power from the public grid and converts it into the 15,000 V supply required for rail operations while maintaining the standard 50 Hz frequency before making it available for use. The concept for this solution was developed in collaboration with F&S Prozessautomation and TU Dresden. The project was carried out with the active participation of Alstom, which supplied the battery-powered trains to VMS.
The new rail service is operated by Mitteldeutsche Regiobahn (MRB) in cooperation with Erzgebirgsbahn (EGB) and DB Energie. These two companies own the new charging station in Annaberg-Buchholz Süd and have invested in both the charging station technology and a new, permanent overhead contact line system spanning two tracks at the site. Following the construction and commissioning of the charging station, they will also manage its ongoing operation for the new regional passenger rail service to Leipzig. The ZVMS is contributing 500,000 EUR toward the development of the permanent charging station installation.
The Annaberg-Buchholz Süd charging station was built as part of a development project involving DB Energie, DB Regionetz Infrastruktur, F&S Prozessautomation, Rail Power Systems, SRCC, TU Dresden, and VMS, in cooperation with Alstom.
