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Hydrogen trains in the Taunus: only starting in 2026 after a series of breakdowns!
Königstein im Taunus will receive hydrogen trains by 2026. RMV optimizes operations after technical breakdowns for environmentally friendly mobility.
Hydrogen trains in the Taunus: only starting in 2026 after a series of breakdowns!
Something is happening in Hesse when it comes to environmentally friendly mobility: The Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) has big plans for its hydrogen trains. The new fleet, originally announced for the end of 2022, was already supposed to be operating on several lines in the Taunus, but technical problems have delayed its commissioning. All ordered trains should only be used next year, as hessenschau.de reports.
Despite all the difficulties, there is hope: of the 27 hydrogen trains currently on offer at RMV, over half are now operational. The Coradia iLint trains, manufactured by Alstom, use hydrogen fuel cells and are therefore locally emission-free. They only give off water vapor and heat and are therefore an important building block for green mobility in the region, according to [merkur.de](https://www.merkur.de/deutschland/hessen/frankfurt-wasserstoffzug- Flotte-rmv-deutsche-bahn-taunus-mobilitaet-klima-zukunft-fra-91915739.html).
Technical problems and solutions
Unfortunately, the trains were plagued by technical breakdowns from the start, which disrupted the plans for regular service. There were significant problems due to train cancellations, particularly on the RB15 route between Bad Homburg and Waldsolms-Brandoberndorf. A mixed concept of hydrogen trains and diesel-powered replacement vehicles is currently operating there.
The good news is that the technical reliability of hydrogen trains has improved. On the RB15, reliability is currently around 96 percent. The RB12 between Frankfurt and Königstein is already served exclusively by hydrogen trains. For the future, Alstom has announced that it will overhaul the fault-prone trains by 2026 and install a new generation of fuel cells.
Financial support and challenges
The costs for the hydrogen trains amount to over 500 million euros, including maintenance and operation. Meanwhile, the federal government is providing 40 percent of the additional costs compared to traditional diesel vehicles, which can amount to up to 14.7 million euros. The federal government is also funding the construction of the hydrogen filling station with 24.3 million euros. The state of Hesse is contributing around 2.5 million euros to the rail infrastructure of the gas station network, an important step towards a more environmentally friendly future.
In summary, it can be said that the hydrogen trains in the Taunus network, the largest fleet of their kind in the world, represent both a promising future project and a challenge. The next steps will be crucial in order to finally make the planned trips between Frankfurt and the Taunus a reality.