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Saxony’s First Battery Trains Enter Service on ChemnitzLeipzig Route

The launch begins a phased swap to 11 units by mid-June on a constrained, non-electrified corridor.

Overview

  • - The first Alstom Coradia Continental battery train departed Chemnitz at 5:31 a.m. Monday, marking the first regular battery service in Saxony.
  • - Initial operations cover roughly every fourth RE6 trip, running in double traction with 300 seats.
  • - VMS plans to replace all diesel double-deck sets by mid-June with a fleet of 11 battery units after deliveries that began with a training train in October 2025.
  • - The trains charge at station stops, offer up to about 120 km battery range, and can reach speeds up to 160 km/h.
  • - The route remains largely single-track and without overhead lines; Deutsche Bahn plans to present options on electrification and capacity upgrades in March as passenger groups press for faster improvements.