The Swiss manufacturer Stadler has lodged an appeal with the Federal Administrative Court of Switzerland against SBB’s award of a contract for 116 double-deck trains, with an option for 84 more.
The contract, which could expand to 200 units, was awarded to German Siemens Mobility.
Following a thorough analysis, Stadler believes the decision should be reviewed by an independent authority to ensure the transparency demanded by the public.
Stadler argues it offered its double-deck KISS train, which has operated on SBB’s network since 2012 with a 99% availability rate. The price difference with the winning bid was only 0.6%.
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Peter Spuhler, chairman of Stadler’s board, stresses the need for an independent review: “We do not understand the evaluation and have appealed so that the court can check the correctness of the decision.” The company highlights it scored half the points for sustainability, despite manufacturing all rolling stock in Switzerland and using local suppliers.
SBB has responded that the process strictly followed the law and that Siemens Mobility AG submitted the most advantageous bid, not just in initial price but also in operational and maintenance costs over the train’s lifetime.
The difference amounts to three-digit million figures in Swiss francs. SBB regrets the delay but maintains that the award was transparent and compliant with regulations. The start of service for the new trains is scheduled for 2031.