National Express has unveiled a new fleet of Bombardier Talent 2 trains that will start running on two new routes in Germany on 13 December 2015.

The new trains will operate in the North Rhine-Westphalia region; the completed fleet will consist of 25 five-car and 10 three-car sets of the Talent 2. They will reach 100mph and offer first- and standard-class seating. National Express won the contracts, worth a combined 1.6 billion euros, in February 2013, representing the first major entry by a UK operator into the German rail market, which is the largest in
Europe.

Andrew Chivers, managing director of National Express Rail, said: “A year from now, we will be operating these new trains to link some of the largest cities in Germany’s biggest state. Our successful expansion into Germany has been based on National Express’s track record in the UK for operating punctual, safe and high-quality train services.”