Siemens and Lufthansa Technik Defense are developing patient transport trains

Siemens Mobility and Lufthansa Technik Defense are jointly planning a patient transport train for military evacuations and civil disaster control. To this end, both companies signed a declaration of intent (MoU) in advance of the Berlin Security Conference.

The train will be able to transport more than 150 injured and sick people and provide them with medical care during the journey - including intensive care patients. The partners want to develop it in Germany for the Bundeswehr and its NATO allies.

The train consists of proven Vectouro passenger coaches from Siemens, which are combined with a Siemens Vectron X or X Dual Mode locomotive. Lufthansa Technik Defense is equipping the cars with systems for stretchers (“litter racks”) and fully equipped intensive care beds (patient transport units). The train also offers space for up to 90 medical and support personnel. The partners combine their decades of experience in rail vehicle construction and medical air transport.

"Our Vectron

“Especially in these challenging times of geopolitical uncertainty, the ability to carry out medical evacuation is of high strategic relevance, and this applies to both land and air transport,” explained Michael von Puttkamer, Vice President Special Aircraft Services and Defense at Lufthansa Technik. "In Siemens Mobility, we have found a strong partner to bring our proven aeromedical solutions to the rails and thus create a consistent supply chain. In this way, we want to further strengthen the operational readiness of the Bundeswehr and its allies."

The medical technology for the train has already proven itself in the air: The German Air Force and other armed forces have been using AeroMEDICAL Solutions from Lufthansa Technik for decades. Among other things, the Bundeswehr's A400M will become a “flying intensive care unit”.

The same standardized systems should also be installed on trains so that patients do not have to be moved when changing between different modes of transport. The trolleys can be flexibly equipped and converted depending on the use and care requirements - from basic medical care to intensive care (NATO categories D1 to D4).

The train concept is based on the proven platforms: Vectron X locomotives and Vectouro passenger coaches are designed for cross-border use. The cars are also suitable for high-speed routes thanks to their pressure-tight design. The train should be able to transport patients safely and quickly on the most important European railway routes without having to change vehicles at the borders.

The combination with a Vectron X dual mode locomotive, which can run on both electric and diesel engines, offers additional flexibility. This means that the train remains usable even on non-electrified routes or if the overhead line fails.

A key advantage of the concept is the ability to be converted between civil passenger transport and patient evacuation. This improves vehicle utilization and increases their cost-effectiveness over their entire life cycle. The trains are designed for more than 30 years of operation and can be modernized and adapted to new requirements during this time.