ÖBB has placed a further order for seven FLIRT Akku battery-electric multiple units from Stadler, continuing its regional fleet modernisation and decarbonisation programme in Lower Austria.
The new trains are scheduled for delivery in 2028 and are expected to enter service from the 2029 timetable change. They will gradually replace existing diesel trains on regional lines including the Kamptalbahn and Erlauftalbahn, where full electrification is not in place.
The order forms part of a wider framework agreement signed by ÖBB and Stadler in 2023 for up to 120 FLIRT Akku units. The first call-off covered 16 trains, while this second order expands the programme and confirms battery-electric traction as a central element of ÖBB’s regional strategy.
The FLIRT Akku is designed to operate both under overhead wires and on non-electrified sections using onboard batteries. This allows regional operators to cut diesel use without waiting for full infrastructure electrification, a model that is gaining importance across European secondary and regional networks.
According to the companies, the seven additional units will reduce diesel consumption by around 500,000 litres per year and cut annual CO₂ emissions by roughly 1,200 tonnes. For ÖBB, the order represents another step towards lower-emission rail services in regions where battery traction can provide a practical alternative to diesel fleets. The trains will be built at Stadler’s Bussnang plant in Switzerland.
