The introduction of new battery-powered trains marks a significant step towards low-emission regional mobility in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Mireo Smart trains, developed by Siemens Mobility, are designed to offer climate-friendly rail transport. Benjamin Dobernecker, CEO of Smart Train Lease GmbH, emphasized the importance of these trains: "The state-of-the-art standardized Mireo Smart trains from Siemens Mobility are an important milestone for climate-friendly rail transport in North Rhine-Westphalia."
Since January, Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) has been the majority shareholder in Regiobahn. Alexandra Westerkamp, Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board at Regiobahn and Head of Department at VRR, highlighted the benefits for passengers: "Thanks to this participation, we have succeeded in procuring new, locally emission-free vehicles for operating the RE 47 line from Remscheid via Solingen to Düsseldorf." She added that travelers could now reach Düsseldorf directly without changing trains.
The two-car Mireo Smart Plus B battery trains feature a range of up to 120 kilometers and can achieve a top speed of 140 km/h. These trains operate both on overhead lines and batteries and provide a total of 122 seats along with spacious multi-purpose areas. A separate first-class section with eight seats is also available.