On 08.07.2019 Alstom’s Coradia iLint was on tour in Bavaria, between Coburg and Bayreuth (Ober­fran­ken). The test run, initiated by passenger operator Agilis, the Bavarian government and the Baye­ri­schen Ei­sen­bahn­ge­sell­schaft (BEG), was a showcase of the hydrogen train under real-world conditions – in the hilly countryside.

The Bavarian government says it is pushing forward eco-friendly rail transport ‘like no other state in Germany’. Electrification is a key element in the strategy, but for lines that will not get overhead wiring, alternative solutions are to be sought. Therefore the government will invest 25 million euro in research and (predominantly) the development of a working prototype hydrogen train for the more ‘hilly’ lines.

For the medium-to-long term, Bavaria wants to replace all its diesel trains. At the moment several pilot projects are underway to gain experience with new technologies such as hydrogen fuel systems. An important factor is the creation of a solid infrastructure for refueling. Bavaria would like to see a solution that can be used by different types of vehicles, such as trucks, buses and trains.