A TER

A TER
X 73595 at Moreuil station in 2008.
Stock typeDiesel multiple unit
In service1999–
ManufacturerAlstom
Built at
Family nameAlstom Coradia
Constructed1999–2004
Entered service1999
Number built
  • X73500: 312
  • X73900: 19
  • CFL2100: 6
  • DB641: 40
  • Total: 377
Capacity
  • SNCF:
  • 61 (seated)
  • 17 (standing)
  • DB:
  • 55 standard
  • 8 first
  • 17 tip seats
Operators
Specifications
Train length28.9 m (94 ft 10 in)
Width2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
Height3.7 m (12 ft 2 in)
Floor height550 mm (22 in)
Entrylevel
Maximum speed
  • X73500: 140 km/h (87 mph)
  • X73900, DB 641: 120 km/h (75 mph)
Weight47.95 long tons (48.72 t)
Prime moverMAN D 2866
Engine type6-cylinder diesel
Cylinder count2
Power output514 kW (689 hp)
UIC classification(1A)(A1)
Coupling systemScharfenberg
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The A TER or A-TER is a family of diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains operated by Société nationale des chemins de fer français (SNCF) for Transport express régional (TER) regional train services in France, and by Deutsche Bahn for regional train services in Germany. 377 units were built between 1999 and 2004 by Alstom. There are three classes: Class X 73500, Class X 73900, and DBAG Class 641.

General information

The trains are single-unit railcars. The units were ordered jointly with Deutsche Bahn, with their Class 641 units. They are powered by two MAN engines and have a top speed of 140 kilometres per hour (87 mph).

The trains have modern features which were new to TER trains, such as:

The trains can work in a group of up to 3 sets, but passengers cannot move between the units.

X73813 - X73818 are former CFL (Luxembourg) units 2101 - 2106 and operate in the Alsace region.[citation needed]

Class X 73500

SNCF Class X 73500 are the most numerous class of A TER trains.

The units can have one of several liveries:

An X73500 arrives at Les Bardys
An X73500 at Clelles-Mens
An X73500 at Bréauté-Beuzeville

The units are used on rural, unelectrified railway lines in France and are operated by all TER regions except Île-de-France, Corsica and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.

They operate the following services (this list does not include all services):

Depots

Class X 73900

X 73902 at Neuenburg am Rhein in 2006
X73908 & X73917 at Offenburg main station (2024)

The SNCF Class X 73900 or A TER is an identical version of the X 73500, but can also operate into Germany. Built from 2001 to 2004 by Alsthom DDF, it is equipped with train control systems for cross-border services to Germany.

They are numbered X 73901 - X73919, and allocated to Strasbourg depot.

The units are used on services that operate into Germany from France, on the following services:

The units have two different liveries:

DBAG Class 641

A Class 641 at Gräfenroda

The DBAG Class 641 (VT641) is a class of German railway vehicle operated by Deutsche Bahn. They are diesel railcars belonging to the Alstom Coradia A TER family. Their development started as a joint project between Deutsche Bahn and SNCF, on the one hand, and the railway vehicle manufacturers De Dietrich Ferroviaire and Linke-Hofmann-Busch, both subsidiaries of Alstom, on the other.

Forty units of this class were delivered to Deutsche Bahn, of which four have been retired due to accidents.

The railcars are fitted with centre buffer couplings. The arrangement of the two engines in front of the bogies, the bulging appearance of the coach body and the large, one-piece, swinging doors give the vehicle its characteristic appearance, which has earned it the nickname Walfisch (Whale).

They are deployed in Baden-Württemberg at Hochrhein – between Basel Badischer Bahnhof and Lauchringen – and in Thuringia at Erfurt, on lines including the Schwarzatalbahn between Rottenbach and Katzhütte, on the Pfefferminzbahn between Sömmerda and Großheringen, the Friedrichroda railway between Friedrichroda and Fröttstädt, on the line from Saalfeld to Blankenstein and the Gotha–Gräfenroda railway.

See also

Comparable contemporary units
Other units of the operator

References

  1. ↑ "Large Diesel Railcars". loco-info.com. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
  2. ↑ "CORADIA LINT: A vehicle with many faces". www.webmag.transport.alstom.com. Archived from the original on 2008-09-05. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
  3. 1 2 3 "SNCF X 73500: French single-car train". All PYRENEES · France, Spain, Andorra. 2019-10-19. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
  4. ↑ Bennett, Patrick (2020-03-15). French Railways: A-Z. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-4456-9098-8.