Stadler and Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) have unveiled the new KISS double-deck trains to support long-distance travel on the Western railway between Vienna and Salzburg.

The fleet of 14 six-car trains will be introduced in stages and will operate at speeds of up to 200km/h.

The trains, expected to enter service at the end of 2026, offer advancements in comfort and accessibility.

With 486 seats per train, the KISS double-deck trains provide a 20% increase in seating capacity over the current rolling stock.

Furthermore, passengers will benefit from wide, barrier-free doors for rapid boarding and alighting.

Low-floor entrance areas ensure that those with limited mobility, as well as travellers with heavy luggage, bicycles, or pushchairs, can enjoy barrier-free travel.

The KISS trains also feature quiet zones in the end cars, catering zones with vending machines in the middle carriages, special family compartments, and bicycle spaces.

Additionally, these trains are equipped with modern amenities including Wi-Fi, real-time passenger information systems, eight restrooms with a barrier-free option, air-conditioned carriages, secure luggage racks, and power sockets with USB ports.

ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä said: “With the Railjet double-decker, we are presenting a completely new and special vehicle. At ÖBB, we have already been using double-deck trains in local transport for many years and are setting another milestone in modern rail transport with the new double-deck long-distance train.

“Starting at the end of 2026, the train will be travelling on the Western railroad, which will significantly increase capacity for our customers.”

In related news, Stadler recently introduced the RS ZERO at the Rail Business Days in Ostrava, Czech Republic. This zero-emission locomotive, which can run on hydrogen and battery power, is set to support sustainable rail travel on non-electrified Czech railways.