The €850m direct-award contract will start in December 2018 and calls for the operation of 6.9 million train-km per year. In addition to the existing fleet of trains, 15 new EMUs will be ordered to replace the older locomotive-hauled push-pull sets. It has not been specified whether these will be Siemens ML (CityJet) or Bombardier Talent 3 trains.

Notification of the direct award has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union.