The new 230km/h trains will be deployed on the Vienna - Salzburg line and will be equipped to operate in Italy, including on services to Verona and Venice. Delivery of the trains is expected in December 2016.

Siemens says the new trains will be fitted with its Ecojet package, which consists of LED lighting and an energy-optimised air-conditioning system which uses CO₂ sensors to detect the number of passengers in a coach and adjust the output accordingly. A research project conducted by Siemens found that this system could save ÖBB €5m in energy costs annually.

ÖBB already operates 51 Railjet trains in Austria, Germany, Hungary and Switzerland. It passed on an option for seven sets in 2011 which were subsequently transferred to Czech Railways (CD) and the new trains will have a full restaurant car similar to the CD sets.

ÖBB said in June that the order for nine Railjets is an interim measure before it can replace its ageing inter-city coach fleet, which is delayed to 2019 due to financial constraints.