Helaba and RMV secure funding for 27 new vehicles for the Regional Tangent West

Helaba (Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen) and the Rhine-Main Transport Association (RMV) have jointly secured the financing for 27 new electric regional multiple units for the Regionaltangente West (RTW). The financing of the RTW trains had previously been put out to tender across Europe by the RMV subsidiary Fahrzeugmanagementgesellschaft Region Frankfurt RheinMain mbH (fahma).

The Regionaltangente West is the first new rail link in the Rhine-Main region for decades that does not pass through Frankfurt Central Station. It bypasses the congested Frankfurt hub and connects Bad Homburg, Frankfurt-Höchst and the airport with Neu-Isenburg, utilising partly existing infrastructure and partly new sections of track. This also explains the unique feature of the new trains: The dual-system multiple units can be operated on both conventional railway infrastructure and tram infrastructure with different power supply systems. The first RTW trains are scheduled to enter service by the end of 2030 and will make a significant contribution to sustainable mobility in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main metropolitan region.

The financing package amounts to around 300 million euros over a term of 25 years. Helaba structured the financing and specifically involved regional savings banks in order to retain value creation within the savings bank network and strengthen the project’s regional roots. Helaba was selected as the financing partner following an international tender process, thereby underlining its expertise as the central bank for savings banks and a reliable partner for infrastructure projects in the public sector.

Another key component of the overall structure is refinancing through funds from the Wirtschafts- und Infrastrukturbank Hessen (WIBank), which, as part of the Helaba Group and the development bank of the State of Hesse, specifically supports sustainable and forward-looking infrastructure projects. This ensures that the funding remains within the region and also contributes to the implementation of Hesse’s development objectives by securing long-term investment in public infrastructure.

At a later stage, the RMV will put out to tender and conclude a transport contract with a transport operator, which will then be responsible for providing the service. fahma will provide the vehicles to the transport operator.

Christian Schmid, a member of Helaba’s Executive Board, emphasises: “The financing of the vehicles for the Regionaltangente West impressively demonstrates the capabilities of the regional transport association. As the central bank for the savings banks, we are specifically contributing our structuring and financing expertise and, together with the savings banks in the Rhine-Main region, are enabling a forward-looking infrastructure project that strengthens sustainable mobility. With the successful completion of this project, the RMV and Helaba are also sending a strong signal in favour of innovative mobility solutions and the successful collaboration between regional partners.”

Prof. Knut Ringat, Managing Director of the RMV, says: “I am delighted that the financing for the dual-system vehicles – which can operate on both tram and railway tracks with different power supplies – has been secured. This brings us a decisive step closer to the Regionaltangente West coming into service. In future, passengers will benefit from direct, transfer-free connections across the region – particularly to the airport. The RTW will significantly improve transport services in the Rhine-Main area. I would like to thank Helaba for its usual constructive cooperation.”