Stadler Rail recently unveiled its first double-decker multiple-unit train for the Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon (BLS) railway in Erlen in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.
BLS’s first-time procurement of double-deckers will provide up to 30% more seating capacity on the Berne commuter railway system lines they are used on.
The 28 vehicles ordered will be produced by Stadler Rail in Altenrhein and cost around CHF 494 million.
The first trains are due to start timetabled services in late 2012, with all trains being delivered by the end of 2014.
The acquisition of the 28 low-floored double-decker multiple-unit trains is the biggest single investment in rolling stock in the history of BLS.
In line with its long-term fleet strategy, BLS is planning further investments totalling around CHF 1.2 billion by 2025, providing that planned extensions to its infrastructure and services can be completed by then.
