Helaba to finance 13 electric multiple units for Hessische Landesbahn

Frankfurt am Main – Hessische Landesbahn (HLB) has emerged as the successful bidder in a Europe-wide tendering process: With the support of Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen, it has been chosen to operate the Main-Lahn-Sieg regional rail network for another 13 years from December 2025. Helaba will be providing a total of EUR 46 million to finance a fleet of completely modernised Stadler FLIRT electric multiple units (EMUs) that HLB will deploy on the network. Helaba was able to secure interest rates on the loans at an early stage while additionally incorporating low-interest funding from the development bank WIBank, which is part of Helaba Group, as part of the transaction.

Overall, HLB's routes will cover more than two million train kilometres on the Main-Lahn-Sieg network. The EMUs will be refitted from scratch to the latest specifications and equipped with technology such as Wi-Fi and dynamic passenger information systems to meet the needs of passengers. The aim is to encourage more people to use the train and reduce road traffic.

The Managing Director of Hessische Landesbahn GmbH, Veit Salzmann, commented: "While Helaba's team once again demonstrated its capability in executing this financing project in a timely and seamless manner, I am particularly impressed that the bank was able to secure the interest rate on the finance at such an early stage, even before the contracts were signed." Eva Meyer, Head of Land Transport Finance at Helaba, summed up the successful transaction: "This is yet another landmark project with our valued and long-standing customer HLB".

Thanks to its specialist Land Transport Finance team, Helaba is one of the leading providers of rolling stock finance in Europe and North America. From our locations in Frankfurt, London and New York, we serve our customers with bespoke financing solutions for rail passenger and local public transport throughout Germany and for rail freight transport across Europe and North America.

Source: Tristan Dienst Hessische Landesbahn