S-Bahn tender worth billions: Deutsche Bahn triumphs!

S-Bahn tender worth billions: Deutsche Bahn triumphs!

An exciting chapter in Berlin's S-Bahn transport is emerging: a consortium consisting of Deutsche Bahn, Siemens and Stadler Rail has been awarded the contract for the procurement process for parts of the Berlin S-Bahn network. This reports rbb24. With an order volume worth a whopping 15 billion euros, the consortium will procure at least 1,400 new S-Bahn cars and ensure their maintenance for over thirty years. The operation of the tendered routes, including the north-south network and the light rail lines, is scheduled for the next 15 years.

This decision was communicated to the companies involved on Friday and is the result of a lengthy procurement process that started in August 2023. Overall, after a comprehensive restructuring of the transport offering, the states of Berlin and Brandenburg intend to continue to have S-Bahn services operated by Deutsche Bahn.

Alstom loses out

The French manufacturer Alstom, which had also applied for the contract, fell by the wayside with its demand. He plans to take action against the decision and has until September 11th to file a complaint with the public procurement chamber of the state of Berlin. Alstom had already taken a similar approach to the Court of Appeal last year, but was rejected. Here, too, there were deficiencies in the procurement process, which the court acknowledged, but did not consider to be decisive for bringing the lawsuit.

In the event of a possible complaint from Alstom, there could be longer delays. If the complaint is rejected, the case could be examined again by the Berlin Court of Appeal, which could delay the final award of the contract even further. Such a delay would not only be annoying; The first new trains are not expected to go into operation until the 1930s at the earliest - a much later date than originally planned, with operations scheduled to start in 2026 and 2028.

The structure of the procurement process

The award procedure for the Berlin S-Bahn network includes central services such as the delivery and maintenance of new vehicles and the provision of transport services. In particular, the two sub-networks – the north-south routes and the light rail lines – are crucial for future mobility in the capital region. The award procedure, which is led by the Berlin-Brandenburg Transport Association, shows that the need for transparent and fair competition in rail transport is evident. The already known shortcomings of the procurement process from the previous term of office of the then Transport Senator Regine Günther (Greens) justify the skepticism that accompanies this issue.

Although the contract has now been awarded, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop and whether Alstom will actually take legal action. What is certain is that the Berlin S-Bahn is facing a change - a change that, if everything goes smoothly, will shape the transport landscape in the capital for many years to come.