BeNEX orders 56 Siemens trains for Germany's Mainfranken network

BeNEX has ordered 56 regional trains from Siemens Mobility for the Mainfranken network in Bavaria and Hesse, Siemens announced at InnoTrans on 25 September 2026. The fleet of 30 Mireo and 26 Desiro HC double-deck trains will be run by BeNEX subsidiary agilis from December 2030.

Two train families for one network

According to Siemens Mobility, the order covers:

• 30 three-car Mireo electric multiple units, each with 210 seats, two toilets and 18 bicycle spaces;
• 26 four-car Desiro HC double-deck trains, each with 424 seats, three toilets and 39 bicycle spaces.

The contract value was not disclosed. All trains will be step-free and fitted with ETCS, the German PZB train protection system, USB charging points and climate-friendly air conditioning.

A 330 km network between Frankfurt, Würzburg and Nuremberg

The Mainfranken network covers about 330 km of regional routes between Frankfurt, Würzburg and Nuremberg/Bamberg, across Hesse and Bavaria. It was awarded to BeNEX on 16 July 2026 by the Bavarian Railway Company (BEG) and the Rhine-Main Transport Association (RMV). Services with the new fleet are due to start in December 2030.

Maintenance built around data

The trains will be connected to Siemens' Railigent X platform for predictive maintenance and diagnostics. Siemens will also supply spare parts packages and special tools for both the Mireo and Desiro HC platforms.

"The vehicles will set new standards in comfort and capacity for passengers in the region," said Michael von Mallinckrodt, Managing Director of BeNEX. Thomas Graetz, Head of Commuter and Regional Trains at Siemens Mobility, said the order creates "conditions for more capacity for passengers on the network".

TrainsNews analysis

Mixing single-deck Mireo units with high-capacity double-deckers on one network is a pragmatic answer to uneven demand: short-formation trains on quieter branches, double-deckers on the busy Frankfurt and Würzburg axes. Fitting ETCS from day one also matters as Germany moves towards ETCS as the standard on renewed corridors, as set out in the federal plan for 13 corridor renewals by 2031. For BeNEX, the contract confirms the role of private operators in Germany's regional market, while the long-distance market remains contested, as shown by the court ruling on paths reserved for DB's rivals.

More rail news from Europe and on regional trains.

Primary source: Siemens Mobility press release, 25 September 2026.