Swiss rolling stock manufacturer Stadler has named its new line of electric multiple units (EMU), formerly known as Stadler EC250, as SMILE.
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) has ordered 29 units of the trains for its new ‘Giruno’ line.
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The contracted locomotives will travel through the Gotthard Base Tunnel and are scheduled to start operations in December 2019. They will connect Basel and Zurich with Milan, and later Germany and Italy.
The SMILE will be the company’s first high-speed train capable of attaining the maximum speed of 250km/h.
It is expected to be approved for operations in Germany, Italy, Austria and Switzerland in the near future.
The 202m-long SMILE train is equipped with low floors for easy boarding, and will provide all the necessary comfort requirements for families, senior citizens and passengers with reduced mobility.
It also features spacious interiors with modern lighting systems, power outlets on every passenger seat, large luggage racks, multifunctional compartments and a bicycle storage area, as well as handicapped-accessible toilets.
SMILE trains can accommodate more than 400 passengers and can be operated in double traction to increase their capacity.
Stadler is a Switzerland-based company that provides a comprehensive range of products in the heavy and urban transport segments, including high-speed, intercity, regional and commuter rail trains, in addition to underground locomotives and trams.
Image: SMILE's (EC250) first journey through Gotthard Base Tunnel. Photo: courtesy of Stadler Rail AG.
