PROJECT 372

"THE POLARIS TRAIN DESIGNED BY PININFARINA UNVEILED"

Pininfarina

Two and a half years have passed since the Gornergrat Bahn and Stadler Rail signed the contract for the delivery of five trains for the journey from Zermatt to the Gornergrat opposite the Matterhorn. Now the first of the new double railcars was ceremoniously unveiled and presented to the public at the so-called "roll-in".

"A new chapter in the history of the Gornergrat Bahn"

More than 100 invited guests got to see the POLARIS live for the first time during the roll-in from the depot opposite to the station in Zermatt, which was accompanied by a smoke and light show. This was followed by the first official ride on the new train from Zermatt to the Gornergrat, where the vehicle was presented and could be inspected in detail.

For Fernando Lehner, CEO of the BVZ Group, to which the Gornergrat Bahn belongs, it was a very special day: "The new multiple units are a milestone in the further development of the Gornergrat as a natural excursion mountain. We are opening a new chapter in the history of the Gornergrat Bahn here today."

"As a Swiss rail vehicle manufacturer, it makes us proud to be able to supply the new vehicles for the prestigious Gornergrat Bahn. The rack-and-pinion trains offer passengers a unique travel experience in terms of comfort, safety and reliability," says Dr Ansgar Brockmeyer, Deputy CEO and Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing at Stadler.

Extensive test drives and tests in advance

After the transfer and delivery of the first train in April of this year, extensive test runs and static tests followed in order to be optimally prepared for the technical operational safety inspection by the Federal Office of Transport scheduled for mid-August. The double railcars were thoroughly tested in single, double and mixed traction (with vehicles from the existing fleet) and the operating permit was delivered at the end of August. Scheduled operation is scheduled to start at the end of 2022 / beginning of 2023, just in time for the 125th anniversary of the Gornergrat Bahn next year. The order volume for the five two-car multiple units is CHF 45 million.

More customer comfort in an exclusive, timeless design

The new POLARIS vehicles are intended to supplement and replace the trains, some of which are up to 57 years old and have reached the end of their service life. The vehicles have low-floor entrances, a modern customer information system, can travel faster and are quieter. The futuristic and exclusive, yet timeless-looking interior and exterior design of the trains comes from the renowned Italian design studio Pininfarina, which has created the designs of numerous vehicles for world-famous car manufacturers such as Ferrari and Maserati.

Close to the stars - BVZ Group names trains after terms from astronomy

By naming its trains POLARIS, BVZ is following the path taken a few years ago of naming its trains after terms from astronomy. POLARIS is short for "Popular Landscape Railway In Switzerland". An astronomical designation was used for the first time on the regional trains of the Matterhorn Gotthard Railway, which went into service in 2007. These operate under the name KOMET. The abbreviation stands for "Komfotabler Meterspur Triebzug". Their successor models also follow this system, they will bear the name ORION: Optimaler Regionalzug Im Oeffentlichen Nahverkehr" (Optimal Regional Train in Public Transport) and are scheduled to be in service from 2023.