CFL Coradia takes customers to Arlon

Shortly before three o’clock in the afternoon, at 2.53 pm to be precise, the doors of the Coradia close with the characteristic warning signal. Just a few seconds later, the brand-new CFL railcar, one of seven that have been in service since September 2024, is on its way.

However, it is not travelling quietly from Luxembourg Station in the direction of Diekirch as before, but towards the west. It’s off to… Arlon and the first cross-border journey with passengers on a CFL Coradia Stream High-Capacity electric multiple unit.

‘Our strong partnership with SNCB enabled us to get the green light from our partner for cross-border transport to Belgium with the Coradia within a short space of time. An important prerequisite for providing our customers to Arlon with the comfort of these new railcars,’ explains Luc Schmalen, Head of Trains and Equipment at the CFL.

‘As part of the homologation of the new trains, including for their use in Belgium, it was ensured that the Coradia railcars meet the requirements of the Belgian rail network,’ explains Luc Schmalen.

Preparations for the maiden journey to Arlon near the border included, for example, the training of around 40 train drivers on the CFL side in the ‘ETCS Level 2’ safety system, which is required after Arlon.

‘As we are travelling from Luxembourg to Arlon on the Belgian part of the route under the responsibility of our partner SNCB, they inspected our new rolling stock in detail in advance with regard to the procedures and quality requirements applicable in Belgium,’ explains Luc Schmalen.

One of the elements checked and approved by the SNCB was, for example, whether customers with reduced mobility could board and alight the train in Arlon without any problems. No problem for the well-equipped new CFL electric railcars.

‘The tests on site in Arlon showed that the ramp installed in the train can be extended from the train to the platform in Arlon without any problems. So it’s easy for our new trains,’ reveals Mike Strotz, who is responsible for the procurement of new rolling stock for passenger transport at the CFL. Consideration was also given to the worst-case scenario, if a technical problem were to immobilise one of the new Coradia railcars in Belgium. ‘As the CFL, we had to prove that our new trains had the necessary equipment to be towed away if the worst came to the worst. All requirements on the part of SNCB were taken into account here in close cooperation with the supplier ALSTOM.’ Mike Strotz continues and concludes: ‘We are now equipped for all eventualities.’

Sophie Lacour, Director of Passenger Transport at the CFL, is also delighted with the successful collaboration with all internal and external stakeholders. ‘The procurement and national/international deployment of the Coradia is closely linked to our desire to offer our customers even better travel quality. The available seats are an important quality feature for many of our customers. By 2026, we will be able to offer a whopping 46% more seats with the commissioning of the 34 electric railcars and at the same time replace the older electric railcars.’

After just under half an hour, the Coradia arrives on time in Arlon. Not only all the customers on board were delighted. The train crew, who were lucky enough to accompany this first journey with a Coradia to Arlon, were similarly delighted.