FLIRT3 fleet for Bayerische Regiobahn to be equipped with ETCS for ROX concession
posted on 9th Jun 2026 17:06
Alpha Trains is among the first private rolling stock leasing companies in Germany to invest in retrofitting the on-board ETCS to an existing regional train fleet. Bayerische Oberlandbahn, the former and future lessee of the seven three-car and 28 six-car Stadler FLIRT3 EMUs, operates under the BRB (Bayerische Regiobahn) brand. In July 2025, BRB won the tender from PTA Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft mbH (BEG) for the “Rosenheimer Kreuz” (ROX) concession. As owner and lessor, Alpha Trains has commissioned the ETCS retrofit, along with a full redesign and second major overhaul of the six-car units.
Investment in ETCS is a key technical prerequisite for the long-term operation of the 35 FLIRTs on the ROX concession routes. Alpha Trains is relying on a strong network of partners to carry out the project. Talbot Services in Aachen is responsible for carrying out the work and managing the project. InterEngineer Systems is responsible for the technical implementation of this project – from concept development to planning and engineering to verification. With its extensive expertise, InterEngineer is also handling the re-approval process for the converted vehicles, ensuring that all technical and regulatory requirements are met efficiently and reliably.
Siemens Mobility is supplying the ETCS OBUs. The collaboration between Talbot, InterEngineer, Siemens, and the Alpha Trains team brings together technological expertise, many years of industry experience, and innovative strength.
Guido Rumpel, Head of Rail Infrastructure Germany at Siemens Mobility: "Retrofitting the Alpha Trains fleet with our ETCS Level 2 technology ensures interoperability for our customers, as our advanced onboard units comply with the latest European Baseline 4 specifications. I am particularly pleased with the intensive and, for us, very valuable cooperation with the general contractor Talbot and the system integrator InterEngineer, which makes this project groundbreaking."
Close collaboration with partners and Alpha Trains’ many years of experience in complex refurbishment projects make a unique approach possible for this project: the ETCS retrofit and redesign will be carried out alongside the second major overhaul and general inspection. This requires the timely ordering and delivery of the ETCS components for series production. In addition to technical upgrades, the trains will undergo a comprehensive redesign for the new contract, including the replacement of all seat cushions and covers.
The new ROX transport contract and the corresponding leasing agreement between Alpha Trains and BRB will run from December 2029 to December 2043. By retrofitting the fleet with ETCS, Alpha Trains is ensuring that these proven and familiar trains will continue to meet the future digital control requirements on the heavily used routes of the ROX network, including its cross-border routes to Salzburg and Kufstein.
Carrying around 17 million passengers annually and covering approximately 4.9 million train kilometres per year, the ROX network is one of Bavaria’s most important regional transport axes. It includes the München - Rosenheim - Salzburg (RE 5), München - Rosenheim - Kufstein (RB 54), and München - Holzkirchen - Rosenheim (RB 58) lines.
