Italo is ready to land in Germany, one of the most important European railway markets. Italo Holding e Siemens Mobility they signed the contract for the supply of in Munich 26 high-speed trains, with an option for a further 14 trainsets and a 30-year maintenance agreement.
The operation is part of an overall investment by 3,6 billion euros With this move, the Italian group aims to introduce a new competitor on Germany's main domestic routes, currently dominated primarily by Deutsche Bahn's ICE trains. The first connections are scheduled for mid-2028.
A 3,6 billion investment in trains, personnel and infrastructure
The plan does not only concern the purchase of the new fleet. The 3,6 billion also includes theassumption , training of approximately 2.500 employees, considering the related industries, in addition to the investments earmarked for the stations and IT infrastructure necessary for the start of operations. The trains will be assembled by Siemens Mobility at the Krefeld plant, while complete maintenance will be carried out at the German group's depot in Dortmund. The assistance contract will have a duration of 30 years and will also include Railigent X, Siemens' digital platform, along with AI-based services to increase fleet availability throughout the entire lifecycle of the trains.
The new trains will be Velaro Multi System, designed to reach a top speed of 320 kilometers per hour. Each train will consist of eight carriages and can accommodate 450 passengers.
The The offer will follow the model already used by Italo in Italy, with three travel environments called Club Executive, Prima Business, and Smart. On board, there will also be a bistro, 5G connectivity, and ultra-fast satellite data provided by Starlink.
Italo in Germany: Fifty trips a day along two strategic corridors
The operational entry in the German market is expected from mid-2028The company controlled by Italo will serve 18 city through a network approximately 1.300 kilometers long, with a total of 50 runs every day. The links will initially focus on two major directionsThe first will connect Munich, Cologne, and Dortmund, while the second will link Munich, Berlin, and Hamburg. These are some of the most important routes on the national rail network, on which Italo aims to offer an alternative to Deutsche Bahn's services.
The signing with Siemens comes after the authorizations granted by the German authorities for the use of the national grid. In particular, the Bundesnetzagentur's decision allowed the group to move into the industrial and operational phase of the project.
To manage its international operations, Italo Holding established Italo International, a company that controls the two German entities, Atrium and Mainsee. The former will handle railway operations, while the latter will own the trains. Both are headquartered in Frankfurt and operate under German law.
La Rocca: "We want to offer more choice and fair prices."
"We intend to offer German passengers greater choice, more frequent services, fair prices, and high-quality service," said La Rocca. "Starting with the trains: Siemens Mobility's technology sets the standard, and a total investment of €3,6 billion reflects the depth of our commitment to this market," commented the CEO of Italo Holding. Gianbattista La Rocca.
La Rocca also thanked Italo Holding's shareholders, including MSC, Global Infrastructure Partners, part of BlackRock, Allianz and the founding partners, for their support during the preparation of the transaction.
Montezemolo: "A step toward a single transport market."
For the president of Italo Holding, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, the expansion in Germany takes on a meaning that goes beyond the entry of a single company into a new country: “Today An important chapter for European rail mobility opens", said Montezemolo. "Italo's arrival in Germany is not just the entry of a new operator, but a concrete step towards a single transport market, capable of overcoming the patchy liberalizations that still fragment Europe”.
The president cited Italo's experience in the Italian market, where the company began operating in 2012, introducing private competition to high-speed rail. "I believe in a system that puts citizens at the center, giving them the ability to choose how and with whom they travel," Montezemolo added. The German project, he explained, is the result of a combination of Italo's experience, the potential of a strategic network for the entire continent, and the industrial capacity of Siemens Mobility.
