Flixtrain orders 65 high-speed trains to expand European connections

Travel provider Flix plans to offer cross-border train connections in Europe in the future and has ordered 65 high-speed trains for this purpose. Flix is ​​responding to the growing demand for fast and affordable train travel, the company announced on Tuesday. "With the significant expansion of our train fleet, we are launching a new era of train travel in Germany and Europe." Currently, Flix's regional trains, Flixtrains, serve 50 cities in Germany. 

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"We see Flixtrain as a European product," explained Flix CEO André Schwämmlein. Starting with its home market of Germany, Flix also wants to make the new service available in other countries. The trains from the Spanish manufacturer Talgo are designed to be used in numerous European countries.  

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The contract volume amounts to up to 2.4 billion euros, with over one billion euros already "firmly committed," Flix announced. The Talgo trains will travel at speeds of up to 230 kilometers per hour, offer barrier-free access, "state-of-the-art Wi-Fi solutions," and "many other features that significantly increase travel comfort." The locomotives are manufactured by Siemens. Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) welcomed the investment as a "strong signal for the rail market." 

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Flix is ​​buying the trains on its own account: "The financing is a mix of equity and loans. We are buying the trains in a completely regular way," Schwämmlein told the "Handelsblatt" newspaper. Previously, partners owned and operated the buses and trains, while Flix sees itself as a technology platform.

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According to information from the "Handelsblatt," Flix has the backing of financial investor EQT and the holding company of logistics billionaire Klaus-Michael Kühne for the investment. Both acquired a 35 percent stake in the company in July of last year.