Austin Transit Partnership has selected Stadler US to build 21 Citylink-based light rail vehicles for Austin's planned system. The low-floor, open-interior trains will carry about 240 passengers, include ADA-compliant zones and flexible areas for bikes and strollers, and will incorporate community input on design details. Nearly 500 Citylink vehicles have been built worldwide, and U.S. production is already underway for the Utah Transit Authority. ATP approved $39 million in Proposition A funds for preliminary work; the full contract is capped at $352 million as the program moves toward construction in 2027.
Austin Selects Stadler to Build 21 Citylink Light Rail Vehicles
A conceptional rendering of an Austin light rail vehicle. Austin Transport Partnership has selected Stadler to build the trainsets for its new system. ATP
Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) has selected Stadler US to supply the trainsets for Austin's planned light rail network, the agency announced. Stadler was rated highest in a competitive procurement that evaluated bidders on experience, personnel qualifications, technical approach and design innovation.
What Stadler Will Deliver
Stadler, which operates a U.S. manufacturing facility in Salt Lake City, will build 21 light rail vehicles based on its Citylink platform. The Citylink design features a low-floor interior that removes steps from aisles, an open-plan layout with higher ceilings and fewer obstructions in passenger walkways—improvements intended to speed boarding and improve passenger circulation.
Capacity, Accessibility and Community Input
Each trainset will carry approximately 240 passengers, including standees. Interiors will include zones that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and flexible multipurpose areas for bicycles, luggage and strollers. ATP says members of the community will be invited to provide input on exterior color schemes, seating configurations, accessibility features and wayfinding elements.
A Stadler Citylink light-rail train built for Saarbrücken, Germany. Citylink trains currently operate in seven countries, with the first in the U.S. under construction for Salt Lake City. Stadler
"ATP is excited to have Stadler join the Austin Light Rail team to design a vehicle with features never before delivered in the United States," said Greg Canally, ATP's CEO. "This decision demonstrates our commitment to build a light rail system that is right for Austin as ATP advances toward construction in 2027."
Martin Ritter, CEO of Stadler's North America division, said the Citylink platform represents a new benchmark for next-generation light rail vehicles in the United States and that Stadler and ATP will work together to help shape a new era of transit for one of the nation's fastest-growing cities.
Production, Timeline and Funding
Nearly 500 Citylink vehicles have been built worldwide, including battery-electric variants. The first Citylink trains destined for the U.S. are already under production for the Utah Transit Authority, which placed an initial order for 20 vehicles in 2024 and later exercised an option for 20 more.
The initial contract authorizes $39 million in local Proposition A funds for preliminary work while the project advances through the federal funding process. ATP's board will later be asked to approve the remainder of a total fixed-price contract not to exceed $352 million. Selecting the builder now will allow closer coordination among the rolling-stock manufacturer, system-design teams and the maintenance facility planners to align schedules before construction begins in 2027.
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