Alstom Coradia
| Company type | Train series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founder | Alstom |
Area served | Europe, North America, Africa |
| Products | Diesel multiple units, electric multiple units, unpowered railcars |
| Website | www |
The Alstom Coradia series comprises diesel multiple units (DMUs), electric multiple units (EMUs), and unpowered railcars tailored for regional and intercity transport, produced by Alstom and operating throughout Europe, North America, and Africa.
Design
The Coradia lineup delivers versatile, high-performance trains in multiple configurations to suit a variety of operator requirements. This range includes both DMUs and EMUs, as well as the spacious double-decker Coradia Duplex. Equipped with Alstom’s Onix IGBT traction technology, these trains ensure efficient energy use and smooth acceleration. Standard features include regenerative braking systems and compatibility with numerous communication and signalling protocols such as national automatic train protection (ATP) systems and the European Train Control System (ETCS).
Passenger comfort is a key focus, with interiors designed on a modular basis featuring ambient lighting, dedicated luggage areas, and partitions separating foyers from seating zones. Seating arrangements are customizable in terms of spacing and layout, often incorporating power outlets, individual reading lights, and audio/video units. Interior components are designed for easy reconfiguration through specialized mounting slots. Optional amenities include vending machines, onboard ticketing devices, Wi-Fi connectivity, and accessibility adaptations for passengers with disabilities.
Coradia range
The Coradia family encompasses several regional train models: Coradia Duplex, Coradia Lint, Coradia Continental, Coradia Polyvalent, and Coradia Nordic. Additionally, Alstom developed the Coradia Meridian specifically for Trenitalia and other regional Italian operators. The Coradia Continental is an EMU available in sets ranging from three to six cars, with the option to couple up to four sets during peak demand. Its traction equipment is roof-mounted to maximize interior space. Designed primarily for German and wider European markets, it adheres to UIC loading gauge specifications and is compatible with platform heights of .
The double-deck Coradia Duplex EMU operates in trainsets of two to seven cars, with the capacity to couple up to four sets for a total of 12 cars. Variants serve France’s TER network (SNCF Class Z 26500), Luxembourg’s CFL (CFL 2200), and Sweden’s SJ X40 fleet.
Built for Northern Europe’s broader gauge standards, the Coradia Nordic features a wider carbody and is offered as four- to six-car EMU sets. Engineered to withstand severe Scandinavian winter conditions, it can function at temperatures as low as and be stored at . Its roof-mounted traction system enables enhanced passenger amenities inside.
Originally developed by Linke-Hofmann-Busch prior to Alstom’s acquisition, the Coradia LINT is a diesel-powered light rail vehicle comparable to Siemens Desiro and Bombardier Talent trains. Available in one- to three-car formations that can be coupled up to three units, its underfloor diesel powerpack preserves a low-floor interior while meeting contemporary European environmental standards. It operates on railways in Germany (DB class 640 and 648), the Netherlands, and Denmark.
The most recent addition is the Coradia Polyvalent, capable of speeds up to in electric or bi-mode configurations at 25 kV or 1.5 kV; a cross-border variant supports 15 kV systems used in Germany and Switzerland. Its integrated low floor enhances accessibility and sightlines for passengers, while motorized bogies positioned at each carriage end minimize noise and vibrations.
The Coradia MAX comprises mixed formations of single- and double-decker cars arranged in five- and three-car sets commissioned by DB Regio AG for regional services connecting Hamburg with Rostock and Lübeck.
Denmark
Alstom supplies local rail services in Denmark with its Coradia LINT diesel multiple units. In June 2021, the company won the country's largest rail contract, valued at €2.6 billion. The Danish state railway operator DSB placed an initial firm order for 100 Coradia Stream IC5 electric trains, which included a comprehensive 15-year maintenance package worth €1.4 billion. DSB intends to expand its fleet to as many as 150 units. Originally planned for delivery in 2024, the timeline was postponed to 2027 due to challenges related to design and supply chain disruptions. These five-carriage trains, each offering 300 seats, are produced in Alstom’s facilities located in Katowice, Poland, and Salzgitter, Germany.
Finland
The VR Class Sm4 trains, manufactured by Alstom, serve regional lines connecting Helsinki with Hanko, Lahti, Riihimäki, Tampere, and Kouvola.
France
In October 2009, SNCF awarded Alstom an €800 million contract for 100 Coradia Polyvalent trains; subsequently, in January 2010, a €130 million option was exercised for an additional 19 units. A further contract worth €135 million was signed in March 2010 to procure 23 more trains. By May 2014, the Régiolis train model was introduced through a collaboration involving ARF, SNCF, and Alstom, resulting in orders of 182 units from twelve French regions. In 2021, SNCF placed an order with Alstom for 14 hydrogen-powered trains.
Germany
Since 2002, the Coradia Continental has been operating within Germany with deployments by operators such as Hamburger Hochbahn (for agilis), DB Regio, Metronom, and Hessische Landesbahn (HLB). In December 2020, S-Bahn Nuremberg transitioned the S1 and S5 lines (the latter formerly known as the Allersberg Express) to Coradia Continental trains; notably, the S5 units were fitted with ETCS to enable operation on the Nuremberg-Ingolstadt high-speed line.
The Coradia LINT series is also extensively utilized across Germany and is recognized as DB class 640 and DB class 648 locally. In May 2013, private operator AKN Eisenbahn acquired 14 Coradia LINT units for around €60 million. By May 2014, Alstom had delivered the first of 24 modernized LINT units to Lower Saxony’s Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft Niedersachsen (LNVG). Earlier that year in April, contracts were secured to provide six new Coradia LINT trains to LNVG alongside a €150 million agreement supplying 29 Coradia Continental EMUs to Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen (VMS) serving Central Saxony.
In December 2015, Hessische Landesbahn placed an order valued at €160 million for 30 Coradia Continental EMUs intended for the Südhessen-Untermain network. Transdev followed with an order for 28 Coradia LINT trains destined for Augsburg in March 2016; shortly after that in April 2016, DB Regio ordered eight LINT units at a cost of approximately €40 million.
Italy
In September 2012, Alstom secured a contract worth €67 million from Ferrovie Nord Milano (FNM) for ten additional Coradia Meridian regional trains to supplement the fourteen units delivered by the following year. Later that same year, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane ordered another batch of seventy Coradia Meridian trains. These trains operate under Trenord branding for RegioExpress (RE) services and are specially configured for the Malpensa Express airport connection.
Coradia Stream models are deployed by various Italian rail operators including Trenitalia (Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane), Trenord, Ferrotramviaria, Trasporto Ferroviario Toscano, and TUA (Società Unica Abruzzese di Trasporto).
Netherlands
Keolis, formerly known as Syntus, has deployed the Alstom Coradia LINT trains, once marketed as "Syntus LINT," on its regional services. Meanwhile, Arriva continues to run LINT units along the predominantly non-electrified Zutphen-Hengelo-Oldenzaal route.
In April 2023, Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) introduced its latest NS Intercity Nieuwe Generatie, which is based on the Alstom Coradia Stream platform. These new trainsets are expected to replace most of the older ICMm fleets by 2025 and will serve BeNeLux routes connecting Amsterdam and Brussels.
Norway
In January 2022, Norske tog secured a contract with Alstom for 30 Coradia Nordic trains, with an option to acquire an additional 170 units. These six-car trains, designed specifically for Oslo’s commuter network, can reach speeds up to 160 km/h and will be designated as "Class 77" by NSB and "N05" by Norske Tog. Production is slated to begin in 2023, followed by testing in Norway in 2026, with operations commencing later that year.
A further procurement was announced in February 2023 for 25 more trains. Among these, 19 "N06" models will be adapted for regional services featuring increased seating capacity and a maximum speed of 200 km/h.
Romania
In March 2022, the Romanian Railway Reform Authority (ARF) placed an order for 20 Coradia Stream trainsets, including a 15-year maintenance agreement. These trains are leased to CFR Calatori and private operators. By September 2022, an option for an additional 17 units with the same maintenance period was exercised, bringing the total order to 37 trains supported by 30 years of maintenance. Each Coradia Stream train measures 160 meters in length, accommodates 352 passengers, and operates on Romania’s 27kV ~ 50 Hz AC electrification system. They are equipped with PZB90 and ETCS Level 2 safety systems.
Sweden
The Coradia Nordic serves Stockholm’s commuter network under Storstockholms Lokaltrafik as the SL X60 model. In June 2012, SL ordered 46 Coradia Nordic trains valued at €440 million ($548 million), increasing the total Nordic fleet to 129 units. Additional contracts were granted by Skånetrafiken in Skåne County, including a €150 million order for 25 trains announced in February 2015. Initially, both Continental and Nordic versions were marketed under the name Coradia Lirex.
The Coradia Duplex variant operates as the SJ X40 under SJ AB. Originally intended for regional travel around Lake Mälaren, it also serves intercity routes such as Stockholm to Gothenburg.
| Name | Image | Introduced | Number | Carriages | Power Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X3 | 1999 | 7 | 4 | Pantograph | Operates on the Arlanda Express line between Stockholm Central Station and Stockholm Arlanda Airport. | |
| X40 | 2006–2008 | 43 | 2 or 3 | |||
| X60 X60A X60B |
|
129 | 6 | Utilized in commuter rail services. | ||
| X61 | Since 2009 with multiple orders for different operators | 134 | 4 | Deployed for both commuter and regional lines. | ||
| X62 | 2012 | 11 | Used by Norrtåg for regional routes across northern counties; features onboard bistro. |
Coradia 1000
The initial British models entered service in 2001. The diesel-powered Coradia 1000 series comprises the Class 175 (27 units currently not leased) and the Class 180 Adelante (14 units). Of these Class 180s, twelve are operated by Grand Central as high-speed trains.
Coradia Juniper
The electric Alstom Coradia Juniper series includes the Class 334 (40 units serving Glasgow's commuter network), the Class 458 (30 units operating on the London Waterloo to Reading corridor), and previously the Class 460 (used for Gatwick Express airport connections), which were integrated into the Class 458 fleet by early 2016.
| Class | Image | Operator | Introduced | Quantity | Cars per Unit | End Gangways | Power Source | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 175 | Stored | 1999–2001 | 27 | 2 or 3 | No | Diesel | The end vehicles are designated A and C, regardless of the intermediate coach B. Planned to resume service with GWR in 2025. | |
| 180 | Grand Central | 2000–2001 | (14 constructed, 12 active) | 5 | ||||
| 334 | ScotRail | 1999–2002 | 40 | 3 | Template:25 kV 50 Hz / Pantograph | |||
| 458 (5-JUP) | South Western Railway | 1998–2002 | 30 | 5 | Yes | 750 V DC / Contact shoe | Originally built as four-car sets for South West Trains; upgraded to five-car formations between 2012 and 2013. | |
| 460 (8-GAT) | File:Unit 460008 at East Croydon.JPG | Gatwick Express | 1999–2001 | 8 | 8 | No | Decommissioned in 2012 and converted into Class 458/5 units for South West Trains. |
Canada
Canada marked the introduction of Coradia trains in North America when OC Transpo in Ottawa deployed six diesel-powered Coradia LINTs on the O-Train Trillium Line in 2015, replacing Bombardier Talent units. Since 2025, these trains have also been operating on O-Train Line 4, serving the airport route.
In Québec, the privately operated Charlevoix Railway showcased hydrogen-fueled iLINT trains during the summer of 2023.
United States
Metra has placed an order for 200 bilevel Coradia passenger cars, with an option to acquire an additional 300 units. Meanwhile, Virginia Railway Express, collaborating with Metra, is procuring 21 bilevel Coradia trailers along with options for up to 44 more trailers and four cab control cars.
Algeria
Since 2018, the SNTF has been running a fleet of seventeen Coradia trains across routes such as Algiers-Oran and Algiers-Batna, with future expansion plans targeting Algiers-Setif. This program is marketed under the name "Coradia ELDJAZAÏR."
Senegal
Starting in late 2018, Alstom commenced delivery of fifteen four-car Coradia Polyvalent trainsets for the Train Express Regional, connecting Dakar with Blaise Diagne International Airport in Senegal.
Accidents and incidents
- On July 12, 2016, an Alstom Coradia train was involved in a fatal head-on collision at Andria, Apulia, Italy, causing at least twenty deaths.
- On October 16, 2020, a Dutch ICNG train derailed near Dreileben, Germany, while being transported from Poland to the Netherlands; the locomotive engineer sustained injuries.
Sources
- Coradia UK