3 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Beinwil am See Seetalbahn 2003-06-25 4528: Dralon· CC BY-SA 2.5
- 2. Sbb-rabe-520-000-6-stadler-921179: Kurt Rasmussen· Attribution
- 3. Sbb-rabe-520-015-4-stadler-921178: Kurt Rasmussen· Attribution
what is it?
The RABe 520 is an electric multiple unit used since 2002 by the Swiss Federal Railways. It is based on the Stadler GTW 2/8 model.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- 760 kW is about 9 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- Weighs about as much as 15 African elephants (~6 t each).
- 53.4 m long: about 12 cars parked nose to tail.
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- —
- number built
- 17
- kind
- multiple unit
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland
- builders
- Stadler Rail
- operators
- Swiss Federal Railways
- top speed
- 115 km/h
- power
- 760 kW
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- electric system
- 15 kV 16.7 Hz
- wheel arrangement
- 2'Bo 2'2'
- formation
- 3 cars + 1 engine car
- length
- 53.4 m
- weight
- 91.1 t
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q585032, Wikipedia: SBB RABe 520 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.