Wiener Linien awarded Siemens a contract in September 2017 to supply 34 six-car trains and maintain them for 24 years. The agreement includes an option for 11 additional trains.
The trains will operate in driverless mode on the new Line U5, and with drivers on existing U-Bahn lines.
Each 111m-long train will accommodate up to 928 passengers. The 18 passenger doors on each side of the train will be equipped with retractable steps to provide barrier-free access for passengers with reduced mobility.
The fleet will also be the first to use Siemens’ new FIS+ digital passenger information system, which was developed in Vienna. Real-time information screens above each door will display the train’s platform position at the next station as well as details of connections to other lines.
Siemens says special lightweight construction elements have been incorporated into the carbody and bogie design to significantly reduce the weight of the vehicle. The trains will also feature LED interior and exterior lighting and electrodynamic braking to reduce mechanical wear on the brakes.
The first pre-series train is due to be delivered in mid-2020, with the fleet oentering passenger service from 2022.
