Chinese passenger trains to commence service in Germany and Austria

All aboard the Chinese-built passenger trains which are taking to the tracks of western Europe for the first time. Some services in Austria and Germany are due to begin using them in just a few weeks' time. 

Austria's Westbahn operator presented the special features of its four new Chinese double-deckers. They feature all-leather seats, a self-service bistro in every middle carriage and 'smart' baggage lockers, which can be activated by your phone. 

Running at 200 kilometers per hour between cities like Vienna and Munich, the trains built by China's CRRC are eight meters longer than the operators' other trains, but consume up to 10 per cent less energy.

"The train looks good," a Vienna resident told CGTN after checking out the new train at Westbahnhof station. 

"I drive a Volvo, and Volvo has been part of a Chinese corporation for several years now. So I have no problem with that at all," another Austrian adds.

However, domestic train-makers fear that buying Chinese trains could negatively impact one of Austria's key industries, which employs over 30,000 people.

Westbahn says CRRC can deliver trains quicker than European manufacturers, who usually take four years to complete an order.

"Most of the companies that are providing passenger transport in Europe, they might be a little bit hesitant to order trains from outside Europe," Westbahn's Co-Managing Director Thomas Bosch told CGTN. "But we are convinced that CRRC will surpass the expectations of the customers."

Getting regulatory approval from the EU took longer than expected, and involved rigorous testing.

It's not the first time CRRC has sold trains to a European operator. After establishing its regional headquarters here in Vienna, the Chinese producer delivered passenger railcars to Czechia and Serbia and is now expanding business to Western Europe.

Austria's new CRRC trains are not entirely Chinese. Many components such as passenger seats are made in Europe – meaning that customers will actually experience a Sino-European train ride.