Italo has finalized a €3 billion agreement with Siemens Mobility to acquire and maintain 26 Velaro Multi System high-speed trainsets for services in Germany, with an additional option to purchase 14 more units. The contract, inked on July 20, 2026, also includes a 30-year full service and maintenance arrangement.
Each eight-car trainset, produced at Siemens’ Krefeld facility, will seat approximately 440 to 450 passengers across three classes: Club Executive, Prima Business, and Smart. The trains will feature a bistro and support multiple electrification systems, including 1.5 kV and 3 kV DC, plus 15 kV 16.7 Hz and 25 kV 50
Hz AC. Passengers will have access to high-speed internet via Starlink satellite connectivity.
Italo plans to operate hourly services between München, Köln, and Dortmund, alongside two-hourly services connecting München, Berlin, and Hamburg, commencing in April 2028. The network will encompass 50 daily trips covering 18 cities over a route length of 1,300 km.
The company’s entry into the German market involves a €3.6 billion investment that includes rolling stock acquisition, infrastructure improvements at stations, digital IT systems, and the recruitment and training of around 2,500 employees. German operations will be managed by Atrium, while train ownership lies with Mainsee, both
subsidiaries incorporated under German law and headquartered in Frankfurt.
Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, termed the deal a ‘‘strong vote of confidence’’ and ‘‘a landmark project for industrial value creation and innovation made in Germany.’’ Italo Holding CEO Gianbattista La Rocca emphasized the company’s goal to provide German passengers with ‘‘greater choice, more frequent services, fair prices and high quality service.’’ Italo Holding President Luca Cordero di Montezemolo called the expansion ‘‘a concrete step towards a single European transport market’’ and highlighted the collaboration between Italo’s experience and Siemens Mobility’s manufacturing capabilities.
The AllRail association, representing private rail operators
in Europe, said the order ‘‘demonstrates the scale of private investment that genuine competition can bring to Europe’s passenger railways.’’ Italo will be the first major private open access operator on the German high-speed network, while other operators like FlixTrain and Leo Express primarily serve conventional rail lines.
