Subject to the availability of funding, Coradia Continental BEMU battery-powered trains will be deployed. They will operate without the need to change trains between Annaberg-Buchholz Süd, Chemnitz and Leipzig during off-peak hours. These battery-powered trains are already in regular service between Chemnitz and Leipzig (RE 6).
The new service will be operated by Mitteldeutsche Regiobahn (MRB) as the railway operator. This will be carried out in cooperation with the local railway infrastructure company, Erzgebirgsbahn (EGB). Under their supervision, the charging station in Annaberg-Buchholz Süd, which is necessary for the operation of battery-powered trains, was built. The charging infrastructure is operated by the EGB. The ZVMS is contributing 500,000 euros towards upgrading the charging station for regular service.
The direct service is expected to commence by spring 2027, with individual journeys in the morning and evening. These journeys will partially replace existing diesel train services on the RB 80 line.