The first of eight new Pendolino train sets have left Alstom’s Savigliano plant destined for Switzerland.
Swiss operator SBB ordered the trains in 2012 for the Gotthard route between Switzerland and Italy. The new vehicles will operate alongside the current ETR 610 fleet and will enable SBB to decommission it’s ageing ETR 470 trains.
Two trains are scheduled to be handed over to SBB by the end of 2014, having already been approved to operate on the Swiss network.
SBB has confirmed that its eight new ETR 610 high-speed trains will enter passenger service from the December timetable change.
Switzerland’s national rail operator has said that the new tilting trains will come into service from December 14, replacing the last remaining ETR 470 units.
