Siemens-Stadler-DB consortium finalises €15bn Berlin S-Bahn train contract

A consortium of Siemens Mobility, Stadler and S-Bahn Berlin GmbH — a Deutsche Bahn subsidiary — has signed contracts to supply trains and operate two-thirds of Berlin's S-Bahn network, covering the Stadtbahn and North-South (Nord-Süd) sub-networks. Berlin's Ringbahn is not part of this award: it was contracted separately to the same manufacturer consortium in 2015, with operations running from 2021 to 2035.

The award became legally binding on 8 July 2026, after the Berlin Vergabekammer (procurement appeals board) rejected a challenge from rival bidder Alstom on 12 June, and Alstom confirmed on 26 June that it would not escalate the case to the Kammergericht (Berlin's appeals court) before the deadline expired. The contracts were signed shortly after, with the consortium partners and Berlin's transport senator presenting the deal publicly in mid-July.

The contract covers 350 new four-car, fully walk-through S-Bahn trains — 1,400 cars in total — plus 30 years of maintenance and 15 years of operation on the Stadtbahn and Nord-Süd networks. The total value of the combined procurement, maintenance and operating contracts is estimated at approximately €15 billion, one of the largest public transport contracts ever awarded in the Berlin-Brandenburg region. Trains are due to enter service from early 2032, with full fleet rollout planned by 2038.

The partnership builds on a December 2015 framework agreement between S-Bahn Berlin GmbH and the Stadler Pankow/Siemens consortium for up to 1,380 vehicles, of which an initial firm order of 106 units — 85 four-car class 484 and 21 two-car class 483 trains — was placed at the time for the Ringbahn network, separate from the Stadtbahn/Nord-Süd fleet now under contract.