The global market for new-build multiple-units continues to expand despite tight budgets and rising prices, according to a fresh study from SCI Verkehr. Yet procurement patterns are shifting, with operators becoming more selective and increasingly focused on financing and lifecycle considerations.

The German consultancy’s report, titled ‘Multiple Units – Global Market Trends 2026’, highlights that aftersales services are gaining strategic importance. Maintenance, modernisation, digital services and access to workshop capacity are now key factors shaping the market.

Maria Leenen of SCI Verkehr noted that cost pressure in Europe is leading to greater restraint in new-build procurement. ‘Operators are instead extending the service life of existing vehicles,’ she said. ‘As a result, part of the market volume is shifting towards maintenance and modernisation.’

Where new-build orders are postponed, aftersales becomes a stabilising force. Growth drivers in this segment include fleet expansion, longer life cycles, ETCS retrofitting, more extensive overhauls, and the adoption of more complex technologies such as alternative traction systems.

Europe remains the most important original equipment manufacturer market, according to the study. It holds the largest installed fleet, has substantial structural replacement needs, and serves as an ‘innovative space for decarbonisation’. Battery-electric multiple-units are increasingly the preferred option for replacing diesel trains, while hydrogen plays ‘a clearly subordinate role’.

Asia continues to set benchmarks for transport performance and series production. China and India, in particular, are scaling up their electric regional, suburban and urban rail services.

Diesel multiple-units are becoming a ‘genuine niche segment’, the study says. Diesel trainsets are ‘only selectively relevant’ in markets with very low electrification, such as North America, parts of Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

The findings underscore a broader trend: as budgets tighten, the rail industry is looking beyond the initial purchase to the full lifecycle of rolling stock. Aftersales services are no longer an afterthought but a central pillar of market strategy.

For operators, the decision to extend vehicle life rather than buy new brings both challenges and opportunities. It requires robust maintenance capabilities, modernisation programmes and digital tools to keep ageing fleets efficient and compliant.

For manufacturers, the shift means that service contracts and workshop capacity are becoming as important as new-build orders. The ability to support vehicles over decades is now a competitive differentiator.

The study also points to regional contrasts. While Europe and Asia lead in electrification and innovation, other regions still rely on diesel for specific routes, keeping a niche market alive.

Overall, the multiple-unit market is evolving from a simple product sale to a long-term partnership model. Lifecycle services are set to play an increasingly central role in how rail operators and manufacturers do business.

As the industry navigates budget pressures and technological change, the findings from SCI Verkehr offer a clear signal: the future of the multiple-unit market lies not just in building trains, but in sustaining them over their entire operational life.