The Flirt has been in use with German operators since 2006, when cantus received 14 three-car and six four-car Flirt 2s. They became the classes 427 and 428. As with the Swiss model, both axles of the two end bogies are powered with a total output of 2,600 kW. Further orders from DB Regio and many private railway companies followed. The Flirt 3 has been built since 2013 and has new fronts in accordance with new crash standards.

Two-car Flirt 2 of the Hessische Landesbahn in June 2011 in Siegen

Hugh Llewelyn

In addition to the three- and four-car variants, the five-car class 429 and the six-car class 1430 were also created. In these, too, only the two end bogies are powered. On the other hand, the two-car class 426 is offered, in which only one bogie is powered. Initially only in Germany has the Flirt 3 XL been used since 2019, in which the individual car bodies have been extended. The total length of the three-car trains increased by about nine meters and that of the five-car train by about 15 meters. The power was increased from 2,600 to 3,000 kW.