Italy's 'Italo' makes massive entry into the German market: €3 billion for new trains with Siemens

The Italian rail giant 'Italo' has made a huge move toward expansion in Northern Europe. The company announced the signing of a contract worth approximately €3 billion with Siemens Mobility for the delivery of 26 high-speed trains, with an option for an additional 14 units.

This strategic investment is part of a broader plan to enter the German market, which will require total costs of €3.6 billion. The goal is for Italo to begin serving two key routes in Germany by mid-2028: Munich–Cologne–Dortmund and Munich–Berlin–Hamburg, connecting a total of 18 cities with 50 daily services.

The deal is not limited to the technology itself. It also includes a 30-year technical maintenance contract for the new fleet. The production of the trains will take place at the Siemens factory in Krefeld, while maintenance will be centralized at the depot in Dortmund.

The entry of the Italian operator is supported by decisions from the German regulator, which recently mandated the national operator Deutsche Bahn to open busy long-distance routes to greater competition. The new project is expected to stimulate the economy in Germany through the creation of approximately 2,500 new jobs, as well as through investments in IT infrastructure and railway stations.