Revolution in local transport: Parchim gets battery-operated trains!

Revolution in local transport: Parchim gets battery-operated trains!

In a remarkable step towards sustainable mobility, the East German Railway Company (Odeg) will rely on battery-powered trains from December 2027. Workshop manager Ronald Beck and his team in Parchim, consisting of around 30 colleagues, are already working on the regional shuttles, which have been operating on the West Mecklenburg network for 23 years. The plans, which are of great importance for the future of the Odeg, were publicly presented during a special trip from Schwerin to Parchim, which was carried out with a battery-powered train. According to Lars Gehrke, managing director of Odeg, Parchim plays a central role as the company's founding and future location, as Uckermark Kurier reports.

The purchase of 14 Flirt trains from the manufacturer Stadler is an important part of this plan. With a price of around seven million euros per train, an investment is being made that promises ecological benefits in the long term. In order to ensure the infrastructure for these new trains, the depot in Parchim is being expanded with a budget of 20 million euros. For this purpose, Ines Jesse, State Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, presented a funding notice from the state amounting to 11.12 million euros, with one million euros also coming from the federal government.

New appearance and modern technology

The new workshop hall for the battery trains is scheduled to be built by August 2027 and will be built directly onto the existing hall. This will enable maintenance of both the new battery trains and the existing diesel regional shuttles, which will remain in use on an interim basis and undergo a general overhaul. In order to operate the trains optimally, the depot will be equipped with a new overhead line and two fast charging stations. Here the trains can be charged overnight with an output of 50 hertz and 15 kilovolts; A quick charge in just 15 minutes is also possible.

The Stadler Flirt trains have impressive specifications. They offer a range of up to 100 kilometers in battery mode and can be used both in overhead line operation and on non-electrified routes. A real plus point for passengers is the comfort: the new trains will be barrier-free, equipped with WiFi, sockets for mobile devices and modern passenger displays. In addition, the design of the trains is kept in the beautiful national colors, which strengthens identification with the region.

Sustainable mobility in Schleswig-Holstein

The switch to battery-powered trains is not just an issue in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. In Schleswig-Holstein, 55 multiple units of the Stadler Flirt Akku model were recently ordered, which will replace the previous diesel trains from 2022, as auto motor und sport reports. These trains can travel around 150 kilometers purely electrically, while in Schleswig-Holstein only 29 percent of the rail network is electrified.

With the increasing importance of cabins with overhead lines and the construction of new charging stations, the course is set for a sustainable rail future. The years-long construction process is supported by the cooperation of the various players in the industry, although rival companies such as Alstom are also bringing innovations to the market with hydrogen-powered fuel cell trains. Alstom's lawsuit against the award criteria was dismissed by the Schleswig-Holstein Higher Regional Court, strengthening Stadler's position in the market.

The Odeg is taking a significant step towards environmentally friendly transport not only in Parchim, but in the region as a whole and shows that rail transport will remain a green alternative in the future.