Alpha Trains has sold 11 Bombardier Transportation Talent diesel multiple-units to Polish operators Public Transport Service and Modertrans Poznań — and says it could release up to 50 similar DMUs onto the Polish market if customer demand justifies it.

The parties closed the sale at InnoTrans 2026, following an agreement first announced at Trako 2025 in Gdańsk. The first six Talent units are scheduled for handover in December 2026.

The three-car DMUs, previously operated in Germany, have a maximum speed of 120 km/h, air-conditioning, wheelchair-accessible toilets and 137 seats.

Who will do the overhaul work?

PTS specialises in acquiring, overhauling and securing approval for secondhand rolling stock. Modertrans will carry out a comprehensive overhaul of the units in the Poznań region, targeting the first units ready for Polish operation within 18 months.

That timeline is the transaction's core selling point. Overhauled vehicles can enter service considerably faster than newly built trains, according to Alpha Trains — a claim that carries weight given the current state of the supply market, where new-build DMU manufacturing capacity is limited and delivery lead times for fresh orders run long.

Why does Poland want diesel units?

Alpha Trains reports sustained demand for DMUs in Poland, where many regional routes remain without electrification and operators are searching for cost-effective fleet options. The residual diesel market sits alongside — rather than replacing — Poland's wider electrification programme, giving regional operators a bridge solution while infrastructure investment catches up.

Stephan Wegert, Commercial Director of Alpha Trains, framed the deal as evidence of what the secondary market can deliver.

'This transaction demonstrates the value that well-maintained secondary-market fleets can deliver to operators facing urgent capacity requirements,' Wegert said on September 24.

'Together with PTS and Modertrans, we are enabling the rapid and cost-effective introduction of modern rolling stock in Poland. We are pleased to have found partners with the technical expertise, homologation experience and workshop capacity needed to bring these trains into service in Poland. The first six Talent units will be handed over in December 2026.'

What are the delivery prospects?

The initial 11-unit transfer is firm; the wider 50-unit figure remains a projection contingent on Polish operators coming forward. For PTS and Modertrans, the work programme involves both mechanical overhaul and Polish homologation — the approval process Wegert highlighted as a key factor in selecting the partners.

The ex-German Talents will bring 137 seats per three-car set to non-electrified regional routes, with accessibility features including wheelchair-accessible toilets already fitted from their previous service.

If the first six units meet the December 2026 handover date and the remaining five follow within the 18-month overhaul window, Alpha Trains will have a live case study for deploying its further 50-unit reserve into a market where diesel demand has so far outpaced both electrification and new-build supply.