Italo orders 26 Siemens Velaro trains for German debut

Italian high-speed rail operator Italo is set to enter Germany’s long-distance market after signing a multi-billion-euro agreement with Siemens Mobility for a new fleet of Velaro high-speed trains, according to recent company press material and industry reports.

Multi-billion-euro contract for Velaro fleet

Publicly available information shows that Italo has agreed to purchase 26 Siemens Velaro Multi System trains, with options for 14 additional units. The order value is reported at around 3 billion euros, within a wider 3.6 billion euro investment package linked to the group’s German expansion. The contract also includes a 30-year full-service maintenance agreement covering the new fleet.

The Velaro Multi System sets are designed for top speeds of up to 320 kilometers per hour and are derived from the latest generation of Siemens’ ICE 3neo platform already in service with Deutsche Bahn. Industry coverage indicates that the trains will be configured as eight-car units, offering around 450 seats per set.

Production of the new trains is planned at Siemens Mobility’s facilities in Krefeld, in western Germany, a long-established hub for high-speed rolling stock. Long-term maintenance is expected to take place at Siemens’ own depot in Dortmund, strengthening the industrial footprint of the order within the German rail supply chain.

Rail sector analysts note that the deal confirms the Velaro platform’s role as one of the most widely adopted high-speed train families in Europe, building on fleets already operating in Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, Russia and China.

New private competitor in Germany’s high-speed market

Reports indicate that Italo aims to launch services in Germany from mid-2028, positioning itself as a new private competitor to Deutsche Bahn in the country’s long-distance rail sector. The initial network is expected to connect 18 cities across an estimated 1,300 kilometers of routes, with around 50 daily services once the operation is fully ramped up.

The planned entry comes at a time of sustained demand growth on German high-speed corridors and recurring concerns about capacity and punctuality on existing services. Industry commentators suggest that additional operators equipped with modern rolling stock could help relieve pressure on busy routes and broaden travel options for passengers.

Italo already operates an open-access high-speed network in Italy, where it has become one of Europe’s most prominent private rail challengers. By transferring that model to Germany, the company will test how far liberalization of domestic long-distance markets can go in one of Europe’s largest rail systems.

According to financial news coverage, the investment is expected to generate around 2,500 jobs in Germany across train operations, maintenance, stations and the broader supply chain. The company also plans to invest in station facilities and digital infrastructure to support the new services.

Onboard experience and technical features

The Velaro Multi System trains ordered by Italo are described in company material and news reports as featuring three distinct travel classes: Club Executive, Prima Business and Smart. The layout mirrors the class structure used on Italo’s Italian network, with a focus on a mix of premium and value-oriented seating.

Each eight-car set will include a dedicated bistro car and is planned to offer high-capacity wi-fi connectivity, including support from Starlink satellite technology alongside 5G coverage. These features are intended to provide stable broadband connections on high-speed corridors where mobile coverage can be inconsistent.

From a technical standpoint, the Multi System version of the Velaro platform is designed to operate under multiple European electrification and signaling standards. This allows cross-border or multi-country operations without the need to change trains at borders, and gives Italo flexibility for future network extensions beyond purely domestic German routes if market conditions allow.

Rail engineering publications point out that the latest Velaro iterations place particular emphasis on energy efficiency and maintainability, including optimized aerodynamics and advanced monitoring systems intended to reduce lifecycle costs while maximizing availability.

Timelines, competition and wider European context

According to Siemens press information and financial market reporting, deliveries of the new fleet are scheduled to support a service start from mid-2028. The 30-year maintenance contract is designed to keep responsibility for reliability and fleet performance closely tied to the manufacturer throughout most of the trains’ operational life.

Italo’s move into Germany follows a broader trend of high-speed operators expanding beyond their home markets, particularly on liberalized routes where track access can be obtained on a commercial basis. Comparable developments include Italian and French high-speed brands entering neighboring countries in recent years, adding competitive pressure to incumbent national operators.

For travelers, the arrival of an additional high-speed brand in Germany is likely to translate into a wider choice of departure times, fares and onboard products on some of the country’s busiest intercity corridors. Rail industry observers suggest that the presence of a private challenger could also encourage further investment and service improvements from existing operators.

As Europe continues to promote rail as a lower-carbon alternative to short-haul air travel, large-scale orders such as Italo’s Velaro contract highlight how private and public operators alike are betting on next-generation high-speed fleets and expanded cross-border connectivity.