The
Siemens Desiro is a family of
dieselA diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
or
electricAn electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
multiple unitThe term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelled carriages capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still being controlled from one driving cab. The term is commonly used to denote passenger trainsets consisting of more than one carriage...
passenger trains. The main variants are the Desiro Classic, Desiro ML, Desiro UK and the future Desiro City and Desiro RUS. The trains are mostly used for commuter and regional services, and their rapid acceleration makes them suitable for services with short intervals between stations. The design is flexible, and has become common in many European countries.
Austria
Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) is currently using about 60 diesel-powered Desiro trains designated as
ÖBB 5022. These are based on the Class 642 used by Deutsche Bahn, but have some additional safety equipment.
Bulgaria
In 2005 and 2006, the
Bulgarian State RailwaysThe Bulgarian State Railways are Bulgaria's state railway company and the largest railway carrier in the country, established as an entity in 1885. The company's headquarters are located in the capital Sofia. Since the 1990s the BDZ has met serious competition from automotive transport...
began operating Desiro trains as part of a 67 million Euro deal with Siemens AG for a total of 25
Diesel multiple unitA diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s. As of 22 March 2006, 16 trains had been delivered, with many of them operating on the
SofiaSofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
-
KyustendilKyustendil is a town in the far west of Bulgaria, the capital of Kyustendil Province, with a population of 44 416 . Kyustendil is situated in the southern part of the Kyustendil Valley, 90 km southwest of Sofia...
-
SofiaSofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
line. Another 117 million Euro deal for 25 EMUs has also been signed with Siemens AG. The EMUs were fitted out in
VarnaVarna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 334,870 inhabitants according to Census 2011...
, where BDZ and Siemens AG are intending to establish a joint venture company. The EMUs are designated classes 30 and 31 and are servicing traffic in the Sofia and
PlovdivPlovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
areas.
Czech Republic
Private railway company
RegioJetRegioJet is a private railway operator in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is a subsidiary of Student Agency partnered with Keolis.-Routes:In the Czech Republic, RegioJet operates trains between Prague and Havířov...
used to temporarily operate 2 Desiro trains leased from
Alpha TrainsAlpha Trains is a rolling stock leasing company operating in the European Union and EFTA regions of mainland Europe.-History:Alpha Trains was formed on 1 January 2010 from the former mainland European business of Angel Trains, being renamed from Angel Trains International-Assets:*Passenger trains...
(Germany).
Denmark
In Denmark DSB has rented 12 Desiro trains since 2002. The trains are primarily used between
OdenseThe city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
and
SvendborgSvendborg is a town on the island of Funen in south-central Denmark. The town is in Svendborg municipality . Svendborg is the second-largest city on Funen and has a population of 27,009 ....
and between
OdenseThe city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
and
FredericiaFredericia is a town located in Fredericia municipality in the eastern part of the Jutland peninsula in Denmark, in a sub-region known locally as Trekanten, or The Triangle...
.
On July 2, 2009 DSB signed a contract of eight trains from Siemens for
Grenaabanenthumb|350px|right|The route of GrenaabanenGrenaabanen is the train line going from Grenå to Århus in Denmark. It functions as a commuter train between in the Århus area. The route carries 1 million passengers annually....
, which entered service on December 12, 2010, with an option for 92 more.
Nordjyske JernbanerNordjyske Jernbaner A/S is a Danish railway company operating in Vendsyssel. The company was formed in 2001 as a merger of Hjørring Privatbaner A/S and Skagensbanen A/S...
used Desiro trains since 2004 on all its operations. Today the company owns eight Desiro trains.
Germany
Germany's
Deutsche BahnDeutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
introduced two-car Desiro DMUs for local services in 2000. With a top speed of 120 km/h, these
Class 642 units are mainly used on branch lines and regional lines. Besides the 234 units purchased by DB until 2007, various private German rail companies are also using Desiro DMUs.
The Class 642 is equipped with two MAN diesel engines with an output of 275 or 315 kW each and hydro-mechanical transmission with
retarderIn rail transport, a retarder is a device installed in a classification yard used to reduce the speed of freight cars as they are sorted into trains. Each retarder consists of a series of stationary brakes surrounding a short section of each rail on the track that grip and slow the cars' wheels...
s. It typically contains 100 seats. When linked together with Scharfenberg couplers, up to three trainsets can be operated together. The Desiros are quite popular with most passengers, thanks to their good acceleration. Because they have often replaced push/pull trains, their shorter journey times, such as on the
Müglitzbahn, have encouraged greater passenger numbers.
Originally DB intended to operate together modern DMUs purchased from different manufacturers, but due to software incompatibilities this proved to be impossible. Therefore the Class 642 can only be mechanically coupled with other DMUs like the
Class 643The Talent is a multiple unit railcar manufactured by Bombardier that was developed by Waggonfabrik Talbot in Aachen shortly before the company was acquired by Bombardier in 1995...
.
Greece
In
GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
eight diesel DMU-2 Desiro trains (OSE class 660) were temporarily in service with the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) during 2004–2006, and again in 2007 on the
AthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
–Chalkida line and on the Athens suburban railway lines (
ProastiakosProastiakós , is the name used for the suburban services of TrainOSE, servicing Greece's three largest cities: Athens, Thessaloniki and Patras; providing them with modern commuter rail links, towards their suburbs and also towards other cities and towns located around them.The service, operated by...
). Afterwards they were returned to their owner (Hellenic Shipyards S.A.) in December 2007. In the late 2008 Hellenic Shipyards/MAN-FERROSTAAL leased the 8 units to Hungary with a contract for 20 years.
OSE also operates twenty (20) electric Desiro EMU-5 (OSE class 460) equipped for the 25-kV overhead catenary system. They operate on the
KiatoKiato is a coastal town in Greece that is agricultural-based. The town is located in the northern part of the prefecture of Corinthia in the Peloponnese, Greece. Kiato is located in a sandy area which features lemon trees, orange trees, and other fruit-bearing trees. It has a lot of tourist...
–Athens International Airport suburban line and as a stopping service on the mainline between
ThessalonikiThessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
and
LarissaLarissa is the capital and biggest city of the Thessaly region of Greece and capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transportation hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the city of Thessaloniki and Athens...
, which is also advertised as a suburban service.
Hungary
At present 31 diesel Desiros are in service with
MÁVThe acronym/initialism MAV may have several meanings, including:*Mathematical Association of Victoria of Victoria, Australia*Municipal Association of Victoria of Victoria, Australia*Micro air vehicle, a type of remotely controlled unmanned aerial vehicle...
(including the 8 units from Greece), mainly as suburban trains on the secondary line between Budapest-
EsztergomEsztergom , is a city in northern Hungary, 46 km north-west of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom county, on the right bank of the river Danube, which forms the border with Slovakia there....
and Budapest - Lajosmizse and as an InterCity between Budapest and Baja. On weekends the units also used as peak inter-city trains from Budapest to
BajaBaja is a city in , southern Hungary. It is the second largest city in the county, after the county seat at Kecskemét, and is home to around 37,000 people....
and
SátoraljaújhelySátoraljaújhely or אוהעלי ) is a town located in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county in northern Hungary near the Slovak border. It is east from the county capital Miskolc.- History :...
and as fast trains from Budapest to Tapolca. During the summer months (when fewer units are used on the Budapest suburban routes) Desiros appear on some local train diagram on the norther shore of the Lake Balaton.
Malaysia
The 57 km
KLIA EkspresKLIA Ekspres is a non-stop, airport rail link service between Kuala Lumpur Sentral and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport ERL station in Malaysia. The service is run by Express Rail Link Sdn. Bhd. which began its operations on 14 April 2002...
and
KLIA TransitKLIA Transit is a rail service linking Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia and KL International Airport as well as three other stops in between...
airport rail link uses the Desiro ET 425 M four-car Electric Multiple Units. 12 trainsets are currently in operation.
- 8 trains are used for the non-stop Express Rail Link
KLIA Ekspres is a non-stop, airport rail link service between Kuala Lumpur Sentral and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport ERL station in Malaysia. The service is run by Express Rail Link Sdn. Bhd. which began its operations on 14 April 2002...
service between Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
's central station and Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
- 4 trains serve five stations on the Commuter Rail Service
KLIA Transit is a rail service linking Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia and KL International Airport as well as three other stops in between...
.
These EMUs have a maximum commercial speed of 160 km/h.
Romania
Căile Ferate RomâneCăile Ferate Române is the official designation of the state railway carrier of Romania. Romania has a railway network of of which are electrified and the total track length is . The network is significantly interconnected with other European railway networks, providing pan-European passenger...
(CFR), Romania's national railway operator, is one of the largest users of the Siemens Desiro trainsets (as the light train variant). CFR, which is currently undergoing modernisation, has bought 120 diesel Desiro trainsets and uses them for all types of train, including its "Rapid", "Accelerat" and "Personal" inter-city services, but mainly on its "Accelerat" trains. There was some criticism of the use of Desiros for CFR's long-distance services because they were considered to be uncomfortable. CFR has recently refitted them, and is now using Desiros mainly on its medium- and short-distance routes. For example, it is planning to use them as part of a proposed commuter link in Bucharest and Ilfov county. For more information on routes, see
Căile Ferate RomâneCăile Ferate Române is the official designation of the state railway carrier of Romania. Romania has a railway network of of which are electrified and the total track length is . The network is significantly interconnected with other European railway networks, providing pan-European passenger...
.
Slovenia
Slovenian Railways operates electric Desiro units that are designated as DESIRO EMG 312 SR 31E. They are used as commuter stopping trains on electrified lines i.e. from Ljubljana to Koper,
JeseniceJesenice is a town and a municipality in Slovenia, on the Slovene side of the Karavanke mountain range, bordering Austria to the north. It is known as the home of Slovenia's largest steel company, Acroni, and the hockey club it sponsors, Acroni Jesenice. The town name derives from the ash tree ,...
(via
Kranj' is the third largest municipality and fourth largest city in Slovenia, with a population of 54,500 . It is located approximately 20 km north-west of Ljubljana...
),
MariborMaribor is the second largest city in Slovenia with 157,947 inhabitants . Maribor is also the largest and the capital city of Slovenian region Lower Styria and the seat of the Municipality of Maribor....
and
DobovaDobova is a settlement in the Brežice municipality in eastern Slovenia, close to the border with Croatia. The Ljubljana to Zagreb railway line runs through the settlement and the station is an international railway border crossing. The area was traditionally part of Styria...
(via
Zidani MostZidani Most is a settlement in the Municipality of Laško in eastern Slovenia. It lies at the confluence of the Sava and Savinja rivers. The area was traditionally part of the Lower Styria region. It is now included with the rest of the municipality in the Savinja statistical region. It is an...
).
United States
The Sprinter light rail system employs VT642 Desiro diesel units. It serves Northern
San Diego County, CaliforniaSan Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
between
Oceanside-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...
and
EscondidoEscondido is a city occupying a shallow valley ringed by rocky hills, just north of the city of San Diego, California. Founded in 1888, it is one of the oldest cities in San Diego County. The city had a population of 143,911 at the 2010 census. Its municipal government set itself an operating...
along a 35 km (22 mi) railway line. Twelve married pairs were delivered in August 2006 to the operator
North County Transit DistrictThe North County Transit District is the agency responsible for public transportation in North San Diego County, California, United States...
(NCTD). Service began on March 9, 2008, serving fifteen stations.
Mountain Rail, one of two competing coalitions bidding on a large portion of
FasTracksFasTracks is a twelve-year, $6.5 billion public transportation expansion plan for the Denver-Aurora and Boulder metropolitan areas in Colorado, USA, developed by the Regional Transportation District...
in Denver, appear to pitching a Siemens Desiro ML derived vehicle that is
FRAFra is a variant of Friar.FRA may refer to:* Forward Rate Agreement , a financial instrument* Federal Railroad Administration, a division of the United States Department of Transportation...
compliant. Both
EMUAn electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
and
DMUA diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
units would be used for the Northwest Corridor, North Metro Corridor and Gold Line.
Belgium
In 2008 SNCB ordered 95 Desiro ML trains for the
BrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
RER network, with options for up to 300.
Germany
Desiro ML is used by the private rail operator trans regio for regional services between Cologne and Mainz on the left bank of the Rhine. The EMUs are leased from
Angel TrainsAngel Trains is an English Rolling Stock Operating Company created in 1994 as part of the privatisation of British Rail. It was one of three ROSCOs...
and received the class number 460 by the Eisenbahnbundesamt, the federal railway authority (the unpowered middle carriages have the class number 860). The
15 kV ACThe AC railway electrification system is used in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway. The high voltage enables high power transmission with low losses powering traction motors available since the beginning of the 20th century...
overhead line EMUs have a top speed of 160 km/h; however they are limited by the EBA to 150 km/h on account of insufficient braking power from 160 km/h. All cars use conventional bogies and additional middle carriages can be added later.
Thailand
Nine 25 kV AC Desiro UK EMUs based on the Heathrow Connect Class 360/2 are currently used for the
Suvarnabhumi Airport Link which is currently in operation running express and local service between Phaya Thai Station and
Suvarnabhumi AirportSuvarnabhumi Airport , also known as Bangkok International Airport, is an international airport serving Bangkok, Thailand. It was officially opened for limited domestic flight service on 15 September 2006, and opened for most domestic and all international commercial flights on 28 September...
.
United Kingdom
Siemens uses the name
Desiro UK for the
DMUA diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
and EMU trains operated by various
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
train operators. These trains have a completely different design to the above-mentioned light train variant. The trainsets have modern equipment such as toilet waste retention tanks,
ergonomicErgonomics is the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, its movements, and its cognitive abilities.The International Ergonomics Association defines ergonomics as follows:...
seats, and automated information displays and spoken announcements. All the units are owned by
ROSCOIn the United Kingdom, a Rolling Stock Operating Company owns and maintains railway engines and carriages which are leased to Train Operating Companies who actually operate the trains....
s (Rolling Stock Operating Company) with the electric units owned by
Angel TrainsAngel Trains is an English Rolling Stock Operating Company created in 1994 as part of the privatisation of British Rail. It was one of three ROSCOs...
except the class 350/2s which are owned by
PorterbrookPorterbrook is one of the three major ROSCOs in the United Kingdom...
, class 380s which are owned by
HSBC RailEversholt Rail Group is one of the three major ROSCOs in the United Kingdom...
, while the diesel units are owned by
HSBC RailEversholt Rail Group is one of the three major ROSCOs in the United Kingdom...
. Angel, Porterbrook & HSBC Rail lease their units to the train operators.
| Class | Image | Operator | Introduced | Number | Power | Carriages | Door configuration | Car length | End gangways |
Class 185The Class 185 Pennine Desiro is a diesel multiple-unit passenger train of the Desiro type built by Siemens in Germany for the British train operating company First TransPennine Express.51 units were acquired, representing an investment of £250 million....
|
 |
First TransPennine ExpressFirst TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines...
|
2006 |
51 |
Diesel-Hydraulic |
3 |
High-volume |
23m |
No |
Class 350/1The British Rail Class 350 "Desiro" is class of electrical multiple unit built by Siemens AG from 2004–05 and 2008–09. Thirty of these units, designated Class 350/1, were built for use by Central Trains and Silverlink on regional express services and services on the southern section of the West...
|
 |
London MidlandLondon Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
|
2004 |
30 |
AC/DC electric |
4 |
High-volume |
20m |
Yes |
Class 350/2The British Rail Class 350 "Desiro" is class of electrical multiple unit built by Siemens AG from 2004–05 and 2008–09. Thirty of these units, designated Class 350/1, were built for use by Central Trains and Silverlink on regional express services and services on the southern section of the West...
|
 |
London MidlandLondon Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
|
2008 |
37 |
AC electric |
4 |
High-volume |
20m |
Yes |
Class 360/1The British Rail Class 360 electric multiple units were built by Siemens in two sub-types from 2002-2003 and 2004-2005. These units are part of the Siemens Desiro family.The Siemens "Desiro UK" family also includes units of Classes 185, 350, 380, 444 and 450....
|
 |
National Express East Anglia |
2003 |
21 |
AC electric |
4 |
High-volume |
20m |
No |
Class 360/2The British Rail Class 360 electric multiple units were built by Siemens in two sub-types from 2002-2003 and 2004-2005. These units are part of the Siemens Desiro family.The Siemens "Desiro UK" family also includes units of Classes 185, 350, 380, 444 and 450....
|
 |
Heathrow ConnectHeathrow Connect is a train operating company in London provided jointly by Heathrow Express and First Great Western, connecting Heathrow Airport with station. The service follows the same route as the Heathrow Express service but serves intermediate stations en route, thus connecting several...
|
2005 |
5 |
AC electric |
5 |
High-volume |
20m |
No |
| Class 380/0 Class 380 is the designation given to a class of electric multiple unit trains which operate on the national railway network in Scotland.- Description :...
|
|
First ScotRailScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
|
2010 |
22 |
AC electric |
3 |
High-volume |
23m |
Yes |
| Class 380/1 Class 380 is the designation given to a class of electric multiple unit trains which operate on the national railway network in Scotland.- Description :...
|
|
First ScotRailScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
|
2010 |
16 |
AC electric |
4 |
High-volume |
23m |
Yes |
Class 444The British Rail Class 444 Desiro electrical multiple units were built in Germany by Siemens AG from 2003-04. Forty-five of these units were built for express services for South West Trains....
|
 |
South West TrainsSouth West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
|
2004 |
45 |
DC electric |
5 |
Low-volume |
23m |
Yes |
Class 450The British Rail Class 450 third-rail DC EMU began service during 2003. They are a part of the Siemens Desiro modular train family and are more commonly known as the 'Blue Desiro'...
|
 |
South West TrainsSouth West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
|
2003 |
127 |
DC electric |
4 |
High-volume |
20m |
Yes |
EMUs
The first electric
Desiro UK units were ordered by
South West TrainsSouth West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
for both short and long distance service out of
Waterloo stationWaterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
to
AltonAlton is a historic market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of the English county of Hampshire. It had a population of 16,584 at the 1991 census and is administered by East Hampshire district council. It is located on the source of the River Wey and is the highest town in...
,
BasingstokeBasingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
and the
HampshireHampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
/
DorsetDorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
coast. They became two different classes, both of which use the 750V
DCDirect current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
third-rail power supply. One hundred and ten
Class 450The British Rail Class 450 third-rail DC EMU began service during 2003. They are a part of the Siemens Desiro modular train family and are more commonly known as the 'Blue Desiro'...
four-car units for commuter services which entered service in 2003. Forty five
Class 444The British Rail Class 444 Desiro electrical multiple units were built in Germany by Siemens AG from 2003-04. Forty-five of these units were built for express services for South West Trains....
five-car units for long-distance inter-city services entered service in 2004. An additional order for a further seventeen Class 450 units was placed with the trains being in service by late 2006/early 2007.
The
East AngliaEast Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
train operator National Express East Anglia acquired 21
Class 360The British Rail Class 360 electric multiple units were built by Siemens in two sub-types from 2002-2003 and 2004-2005. These units are part of the Siemens Desiro family.The Siemens "Desiro UK" family also includes units of Classes 185, 350, 380, 444 and 450....
four-car units which operated from 25 kV overhead electrical supply for services from London Liverpool Street to
Clacton-on-SeaClacton-on-Sea is the largest town on the Tendring peninsula, in Essex, England and was founded in 1871. It is a seaside resort that attracted many tourists in the summer months between the 1950s and 1970s, but which like many other British sea-side resorts went into decline as a holiday...
/
Walton-on-the-NazeWalton-on-the-Naze is a small town in Essex, England, on the North Sea coast in the Tendring district. It is north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. It abuts Frinton-on-Sea to the south, and is part of the parish of Frinton and Walton. It is a resort town, with a permanent population of...
,
HarwichHarwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
and
IpswichIpswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
. The vehicles entered service in 2003.
For the stopping service between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport called
Heathrow ConnectHeathrow Connect is a train operating company in London provided jointly by Heathrow Express and First Great Western, connecting Heathrow Airport with station. The service follows the same route as the Heathrow Express service but serves intermediate stations en route, thus connecting several...
five
Class 360The British Rail Class 360 electric multiple units were built by Siemens in two sub-types from 2002-2003 and 2004-2005. These units are part of the Siemens Desiro family.The Siemens "Desiro UK" family also includes units of Classes 185, 350, 380, 444 and 450....
five-car units were acquired and entered service in June 2005.
As part of the modernisation of the
West Coast Main LineThe West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
the former
Strategic Rail AuthorityIn existence from 2001 to 2006, the Strategic Rail Authority was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up under the Transport Act 2000 to provide strategic direction for the railway industry....
ordered thirty
Class 350The British Rail Class 350 "Desiro" is class of electrical multiple unit built by Siemens AG from 2004–05 and 2008–09. Thirty of these units, designated Class 350/1, were built for use by Central Trains and Silverlink on regional express services and services on the southern section of the West...
dual voltage sets for use on stopping services. They are operated by
London MidlandLondon Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
. These units were originally ordered as Class 450 third-rail units for South West Trains, but following a review by the Strategic Rail Authority they were diverted to the West Coast main line. The dual-voltage capability has only been used in service on temporary loan to
SouthernSouthern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
on
Milton Keynes CentralMilton Keynes Central railway station serves Central Milton Keynes and the surrounding area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The station is located on the West Coast Main Line between the stations of Bletchley and Wolverton, both of which are also within Milton Keynes. The station is served by...
- East Croydon services whilst covering for a shortfall of Southern
class 377The Class 377 Electrostar is an electric multiple unit type built by Bombardier Transportation at their Derby Works, from 2001 to present. The Electrostar family, which also includes Classes 357, 375, 376, 378, and 379, is the most numerous type of EMU built in the post-privatisation period of...
ElectrostarElectrostar is the name given to a series of related electric multiple-unit passenger trains manufactured by Bombardier Transportation at their Litchurch Lane Works in Derby, England...
units. The units have been praised for their air conditioning, accessibility and performance, but criticised for their comfort (newer units have 3+2 seating). Thirty
Class 350/1The British Rail Class 350 "Desiro" is class of electrical multiple unit built by Siemens AG from 2004–05 and 2008–09. Thirty of these units, designated Class 350/1, were built for use by Central Trains and Silverlink on regional express services and services on the southern section of the West...
four-car units entered service in 2005, and in 2008/9 a further thirty seven
Class 350/2The British Rail Class 350 "Desiro" is class of electrical multiple unit built by Siemens AG from 2004–05 and 2008–09. Thirty of these units, designated Class 350/1, were built for use by Central Trains and Silverlink on regional express services and services on the southern section of the West...
four-car units entered service.
On 11 July 2008,
First ScotRailScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
ordered a number of
Class 380 EMUsClass 380 is the designation given to a class of electric multiple unit trains which operate on the national railway network in Scotland.- Description :...
for delivery in 2010. The order was for 22 three-car and 16 four-car units. First enter service began 8 December 2010. Inverclyde Line, Ayrshire Coast Line of the Class 318, Class 334 "Juniper" was introduced to replace the fleet. And the North Berwick line Class 322 trains have been replaced.
DMUs
To fulfil their franchise commitment,
First TransPennine ExpressFirst TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines...
ordered the first diesel variant of the
Desiro UK for use on its inter-city services across the north of
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and it is also now being used on
West Coast Main LineThe West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
services to Edinburgh and Glasgow. 51 three-car units classed as
Class 185The Class 185 Pennine Desiro is a diesel multiple-unit passenger train of the Desiro type built by Siemens in Germany for the British train operating company First TransPennine Express.51 units were acquired, representing an investment of £250 million....
entered service in 2006.
Desiro City
Desiro City is a planned high-capacity commuter EMU for the UK market building on the Desiro UK and Desiro Main Line, with a reduction in weight and energy use and 'fly-by-wire' controls.
A consortium led by Siemens is preferred bidder for the Thameslink rolling stock programme. Around 1200 dual-system 750 V DC/25 kV AC Desiro City vehicles will be supplied. They will operate in a 12-car formation set, and be suitable for use with ETCS. The Desiro City design has also been put forward for the
CrossrailCrossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
rolling stock contract; Siemens was placed on the tender shortlist in 2011 with five other manufacturers.
Desiro RUS
Desiro RUS is 1520 mm broad gauge electric commuter train for
Russian RailwaysThe Russian Railways , is the government owned national rail carrier of the Russian Federation, headquartered in Moscow. The Russian Railways operate over of common carrier routes as well as a few hundred kilometers of industrial routes, making it the second largest network in the world exceeded...
(RZD), which calls them Lastochka (
SwallowThe swallows and martins are a group of passerine birds in the family Hirundinidae which are characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding...
).
In December 2009
Russian RailwaysThe Russian Railways , is the government owned national rail carrier of the Russian Federation, headquartered in Moscow. The Russian Railways operate over of common carrier routes as well as a few hundred kilometers of industrial routes, making it the second largest network in the world exceeded...
ordered 38 Desiro RUS trains, and in September 2010 a further 16 5-car Desiro RUS units with deliveries starting in 2013 for use during the
2014 Winter OlympicsThe 2014 Winter Olympics, officially the XXII Olympic Winter Games, or the 22nd Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event scheduled to be celebrated from 7 to 23 February 2014, in Sochi, Russia with some events held in the resort town of Krasnaya Polyana. Both the Olympic and...
in
SochiSochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, situated just north of Russia's border with the de facto independent republic of Abkhazia, on the Black Sea coast. Greater Sochi sprawls for along the shores of the Black Sea near the Caucasus Mountains...
and
2013 Summer UniversiadeThe 2013 Summer Universiade, the XXVII Summer Universiade, is scheduled for Kazan, Russia. Kazan is a capital of the Republic of Tatarstan is located 800 km east of Moscow, the federal capital, is a busy hub. The city has the biggest student community in the region.-Bid selection:The cities of...
in
KazanKazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
, with the latter 16 trains to be partly built in Russia.
Furthermore, in June 2011 RZD,
Sinara transport machinesSinara transportation machines is a Russian transportation vehicle manufacturing and engineering company based in Ekaterinburg. The company was established in 2007 as a division of the Sinara Group....
and Siemens signed a preliminary contract for the delivery of further 240 Russian-produced 5-car Desiro RUS trains.
Switzerland
SBB-CFF-FFSSwiss Federal Railways and SFR are not in official use) is the national railway company of Switzerland headquartered in Bern. Formerly a government institution, it is since 1999 a special stock corporation with all shares held by the Swiss Confederation or the Swiss cantons...
operates double-decker, or
bilevelThe bilevel car or double-decker coach is a type of rail car that has two levels of passenger accommodation, as opposed to one, increasing passenger capacity ....
, EMUs designated as class
SBB RABe 514The RABe 514 is a four-car double decker electrical multiple unit used by the Swiss Federal Railways SBB-CFF-FFS for the Zürich S-Bahn. It is part of the Siemens Desiro Double Deck product family...
. They are used as commuter trains in
ZürichZurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, where 61 four-car sets have been in operation since 2006.
External links