Flixtrain’s focus on locomotive-hauled trains has a good reason. These can be “used more flexibly in the respective countries,” says expert Leenen. The passenger coaches that Flixtrain wants to have manufactured in Russia can apparently be approved relatively easily for the European market. With the appropriate equipment, the Siemens locomotives would already be approved for cross-border traffic with multiple approvals. According to Siemens, the locomotives have a list price of up to five million euros. The advantage for the investor who is supposed to procure locomotives on behalf of Flixtrain: Should Flixtrain fail or withdraw from individual countries, the leasing company of the locomotives might use the tractors “otherwise”, “in case of doubt once more in freight transport”, says Leenen.
