Swiss train manufacturer Stadler has confirmed that a FLIRT H2 has been entered into the Guinness World Records database for the longest distance — 1,741.7 miles (2,803km) — achieved by a ‘pilot hydrogen fuel cell electric multiple unit passenger train’ without refuelling or recharging.

Stadler presented the FLIRT H2 to the public for the first time at InnoTrans 2022 in Berlin. A significant number of detailed solutions were developed to integrate fuel cells and hydrogen storage systems into the modern FLIRT commuter train product line, and these solutions have since been tested thoroughly — first in Switzerland, and more recently on a dedicated test ring in Colorado in the USA.

Ansgar Brockmeyer, Stadler’s EVP of marketing and sales, said: “This world record establishes the ideal performance range of our hydrogen version of the FLIRT Electric Multiple Unit, the FLIRT H2. This is a monumental achievement from our entire team, and we are very proud to hold another record title.”

The world-record journey started in the evening of 20 March 2024 with the train setting out for its first laps around the test track. The team of engineers from Stadler and ENSCO Inc continued driving the vehicle in shifts throughout the night and the following day, concluding the successful attempt at 5.23p.m. (MST) on 22 March. The record attempt was made at the ENSCO test centre in Pueblo, Colorado, where the vehicle had undergone its type test procedure, prior to delivery to San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA).

This record is Stadler’s second Guinness World Records title-winning train with alternative propulsion. In December 2021, a FLIRT Akku — the battery-powered FLIRT model — set the world record for the longest journey with a battery multiple unit in pure battery mode, covering 224km in Germany.