(ANSA) - ROME, 20 LUG - Italo and Siemens have signed an agreement to purchase 26 high-speed trains, with an option for an additional 14, along with 30 years of maintenance services. The trains will operate in Germany's high-speed rail market. The agreement is part of efforts to introduce greater competition on the German rail network, a process already confirmed by Germany's federal network agency. The total investment of 3.6 billion euros includes the purchase of the trains, which will be assembled at Siemens' plant in Krefeld, the hiring and training of around 2,500 employees, and investments in stations and IT infrastructure. The Siemens Velaro Multi system trains, capable of reaching a maximum speed of 320 kilometers per hour, will consist of eight cars and offer 450 seats across three travel classes: club executive, prima business, and smart. They will also feature a bistro and ultrafast 5g and Starlink satellite connectivity. In addition to the purchase of the trains under the contract signed with Siemens Mobility, Italo Holdings' investment includes a 30-year service agreement supplying comprehensive maintenance at Siemens Mobility's depot in Dortmund. The contract also includes artificial intelligence-based digital services and Siemens' Railigent X platform, "to further maximize fleet availability throughout the trains' entire life cycle," according to a statement. Italo said its official launch in Germany is scheduled for 2028, with the first services expected to begin in the second half of the year. The company will operate along two main corridors: Munich-Cologne-Dortmund and Munich-Berlin-Hamburg, serving 18 cities across a 1,300-kilometer network with a total of 50 daily services. (ANSA).