First painted bodyshell for GYSEV's new InterCity FLIRT unveiled
posted on 21st Nov 2025 16:27
A new chapter is beginning in the history of Hungarian rail vehicle manufacturing: the first painted bodyshell of the GYSEV's InterCity FLIRT fleet was shown at the Stadler Szolnok works on 21 November 2025. It was unveiled at a ceremony attended by János Lázár, Minister of Construction and Transport, and Peter Spuhler, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Stadler Group.
The bodyshells for the 11 five-car dual-voltage InterCity FLIRTs ordered by GYSEV in 2024 are a milestone in the life of the Szolnok factory, as this has not produced bodies for Hungary in many years. The new EMUs will be put into service on the Sopron - Budapest and Szombathely - Budapest routes from the end of 2027, with the entire fleet ready by early 2028. The new 15/25 kV trains will be able to operate not only in Hungary, but also in Austria.
“It is a great honor for the Szolnok plant to be able to manufacture bodies for the Hungarian market after such a long time, opening a new chapter in rail transport. With the delivery of the new GYSEV fleet, the number of Stadler-built vehicles in Hungary will exceed 200. We can already say that every second passenger travels on our trains, which have an average availability of 96%,”emphasized Dr. Róbert Homolya, Chairman of Stadler Trains Hungary Zrt. Currently, 20 FLIRTs are in service with GYSEV and 123 with MÁV.
The Szolnok factory celebrated its 15th anniversary in January 2025. To date, the plant has produced more than 6,000 bodies for the railways in 14 countries, participating in the manufacture of almost 1,000 FLIRTs, representing a total of 3,883 bodyshells.
The InterCity FLIRT with a maximum speed of 160 km/h will provide a modern travel experience with 1st and 2nd class seating. Flexibility is ensured by a layout that provides more seating in winter and space for up to 18 bicycles in summer. The final design, created through the collaboration of GYSEV, Stadler, and the Innova Design Team, combines the railway company's iconic green and yellow colors with modern silver tones and elegant styling.
