Delivery of the 160km/h four-car trains will begin in the second half of 2015 and each set will be formed of two powered and two trailer vehicles. DB says introduction of the trains will provide a 25% increase in peak seating capacity on the route.

DB Regio was recently awarded a 12-year contract by the Bavarian Railway Authority (BEG) and Rhine-Main Transport Association (RMV) to operate regional express services from Frankfurt to Aschaffenburg, Würzburg and Bamberg via the Spessart line for 12 years from December 2015. Frequencies will almost double to one train per hour, with alternate trains extending beyond Würzburg to Schweinfurt and Bamberg. Infrastructure improvements on the Spessart line, including the construction of a new alignment between Laufach and Heigenbrücken, will allow services to be accelerated from December 2016.

The trains are being ordered under a framework agreement signed between DB and Bombardier in December 2008, which so far has seen the delivery of 290 double-deck coaches.