Alstom is to begin testing a pre series set of Coradia Continental EMUs built for Germany’s Central Saxony region.
Three three-car and four five-car trains have now begun testing and are seeking approval from the German Federal Railway Authority (EBA).
Operator Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen placed an order last year for 29 trains for the Mid-Saxony Electric Network regional concession, which was awarded to Transdev earlier this month, beating national operator Deutsche Bahn (DB).
Transdev will operate around 5.8 million train kilometers per year for the duration of the 14-and-a-half-year contract.
Delivery of the new trains will continue until May 2016. The first train is scheduled to enter passenger service in June 2016 between Chemnitz and Zwickau.
