Stadler appeals SBB contract over Swiss double-decker order

Stadler appeals SBB contract after Swiss Federal Railways chose a rival supplier for 116 new double-decker trains. This decision, also reported by Railway Supply, has prompted the manufacturer to challenge the outcome of the Swiss double-decker train contract award.

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Following an in-depth internal review of the award decision, the company opted to seek legal clarification from the independent Federal Administrative Court, as detailed in a Stadler media release. Stadler submitted its appeal on 27 November 2025 and is asking the court to examine whether the evaluation and final decision taken by SBB were correct.

Legal background of the Stadler appeals SBB contract case

For its bid for the 116 double-decker trains for SBB, Stadler put forward a version of its existing KISS double-decker trains. These units have been running on the SBB network since 2012. Beyond Switzerland, the KISS fleet has grown to more than 700 double-deck trains supplied to operators in 14 countries, including deliveries to Hungary and a recently secured order for use in Austria.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The manufacturer notes that the price difference between the winning bid and its own offer was only 0.6 per cent. Even so, Stadler says it cannot follow how the individual evaluation points were applied or how they led to the final outcome of the Switzerland double-decker train contract award.

In its view, the offer was undervalued compared with a competing train concept that, at this stage, exists only on paper. The tender evaluation covered operating costs, quality, maintenance, sustainability and service contracts — aspects that have also been highlighted in industry coverage by outlets such as RailTech.

Sustainability scores and production in Switzerland

Stadler directs particular criticism at the marks awarded for sustainability. The company questions why it received relatively low scores in this category, given that, to its knowledge, it was the only bidder planning to produce the entire fleet in Switzerland. This point sits at the heart of its argument that the sustainability evaluation and production in Switzerland were not assessed fairly.

The manufacturer also underscores its economic footprint in the country. Stadler’s headquarters are located in Bussnang in eastern Switzerland, where the company is part of a significant local industrial cluster. It employs around 6,000 people in Switzerland and a further 3,000 staff in Germany, figures it presents as evidence of its long-term commitment to the region.

Parallel complaint in Finland and board response

While it questions the SBB decision, Stadler at the same time finds itself on the opposite side of another legal case. Škoda Transtech has submitted a formal complaint to the Finnish Market Court concerning the awarding of a contract to Stadler, meaning the Swiss manufacturer is defending a separate tender result in Finland.

Commenting on the Swiss situation, Peter Spuhler, Chair of the Board of Directors of Stadler, notes that even after a thorough examination of the award decision, the company still does not understand the evaluation. For this reason, Stadler has decided to use the options provided for in the award procedure and bring the matter before the Federal Administrative Court.

The company wants this independent judicial authority to review whether the award decision in the SBB double-decker train tender is correct.

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