Key takeaways
- The 648 is the Coradia LINT 41: two-part, with a Jacobs bogie, around 41 metres long.
- The figure in the type name states the approximate vehicle length – LINT 27, 41, 54 and 81 differ mainly in this.
- Fastest way to identify it: two car body sections, three bogies, radiator instead of a pantograph.
- Within the LINT family there are several classes of the same length but different type generations – the number settles it.
- Operator, livery and service network depend on transport contracts and change regularly.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Two-part diesel railcar for regional services |
|---|---|
| UIC type code | 95 (diesel railcar / diesel multiple unit) |
| Type family | Alstom Coradia LINT – the 41 stands for the approximate vehicle length in metres |
| Manufacturing plant | Salzgitter (formerly Linke-Hofmann-Busch) |
| Layout | Two car body sections on three bogies, the middle one a Jacobs bogie |
| Maximum speed | 120 km/h |
| Numbering scheme | Both halves carry 648 numbers from separate serial number blocks |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- Two car body sections, but only three bogies – the middle one is shared
- Angular-smooth LINT front with a wraparound, dark-toned window band
- Radiator and exhaust housings on the roof instead of a pantograph
- Low-floor entrance areas between the bogies
- Approximate vehicle length of around 41 metres – hence the type name
- Vehicle numbers on both halves start with 648
Updated: August 2026 – Two car body sections, a shared bogie in the middle, a wraparound dark window band and a radiator on the roof: that’s Class 648, the Coradia LINT 41. It’s one of the most commonly seen diesel railcars in Germany. This page shows you how to identify it reliably and tell it cleanly apart from its relatives.
Spotted a LINT? The number settles the class.
Several LINT classes look very similar – note the vehicle number directly in Traintrack.
What is Class 648?
Class 648 is the Alstom Coradia LINT 41, a two-part diesel railcar for regional services. The figure in the type name states the approximate vehicle length in metres. The two car body sections rest in the middle on a shared Jacobs bogie, so a complete unit has only three bogies. The vehicles are approved for 120 km/h.
The LINT vehicles are built by Alstom at the Salzgitter plant, which grew out of the former Linke-Hofmann-Busch. The family ranges from the single-part LINT 27 of Class 640 through the two-part 648 to longer versions such as the LINT 54 of Class 622.
How to recognise the LINT 41 in seconds
Count the bogies, not the cars
Two car body sections but only three bogies: the fingerprint of an articulated railcar. Short-coupled types have two bogies side by side at the same point.
Look at the front and window band
The LINT front is angular-smooth, with a wraparound, dark-toned window band. It looks less rounded than the Desiro and less folded than the Talent.
Check the roof
Radiator packs and an exhaust mean diesel. Because the same styling also exists with electric and battery-electric drive, this check is decisive.
The general order for identification – rough shape, drive, number – is set out in the guide to identifying classes.
Same length, different class
Within the LINT family there are several classes of the same length but different type generations. So train length narrows down the size class, not the class itself. For a precise match you need the head shape – and, when in doubt, the vehicle number.
What the numbers reveal
On the 648, both car body sections are powered. That’s why both carry a number from the 648 series, though from separate serial number blocks. There’s no 9 number here for an unpowered section – unlike, say, the Class 628 / 629, where the driving trailer carries a 928 number.
| Observation | What it means |
|---|---|
| Two car body sections, three bogies | articulated railcar of the LINT 41 class |
| Both numbers start with 648 | both car body sections powered |
| Second car body section with a 9 number | not a 648 – different layout |
| UIC number starts with 95 | diesel drive |
| UIC number starts with 94 | electric multiple unit, not a 648 |
The article on reading the UIC number on a vehicle explains in detail how the twelve-digit number is built up.
Where it fits in rail operations
The LINT 41 is an all-rounder: long enough for regional lines with strong demand, short enough for branch lines, and freely scalable in double or triple formation. That’s exactly why it’s so widespread. In the tri-border area of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse, it’s operated by the 3-Länderbahn. In the Bavarian Oberland it belongs to the fleet of the Bayerische Oberlandbahn (BOB).
| Location | Chance of a sighting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Non-electrified regional lines | very high | core territory and widespread type |
| Regional hubs with diesel services | high | several diesel lines converge |
| Terminus stations with turnarounds | medium to high | dwell time for clean shots |
| Electrified main lines | low | only diversions and transfer runs |
| S-Bahn networks | very low | purely electric operation |
Network assignments aren't permanent
Transport contracts run out, vehicles get reassigned, sold or repainted. Always treat information on operator, line and service area as a snapshot, and check the current status before planning a long journey.
See current LINT sightings
Community reports show you which vehicles were last running where – the best basis for your trip.
Spotting and photography
Because the LINT 41 is so common, the photo can easily become generic. Anyone who wants a good picture has to think beyond the plain vehicle portrait.
Look for multiple units
Two or three coupled units give the picture length and document several vehicle numbers at once. That's also more efficient for your collection.
Use the surroundings
Curves, bridges, entry signals and landscape turn an everyday vehicle into a picture that tells a story. Only ever use publicly accessible locations.
Prefer low light
The smooth panels of the LINT front reflect strongly. In the morning and late afternoon the head looks more sculptural than in midday sun.
Respect the platform edge
Stay behind the safety line, don't cross tracks, don't step onto operational railway land. A better angle is never a reason to do so.
The basic technique for taking pictures is covered in the guide to taking good photos of trains.
The LINT family at a glance
Hardly any other vehicle family is as present in German diesel local services as the LINT series. Once you’ve sorted it systematically, you can place almost any vehicle from it in seconds. The logic works in two steps: first the size class by train length, then the type generation by head shape and number.
- LINT 27 – one car body, two bogies, the shortest version.
- LINT 41 – two car body sections, three bogies, the standard size in regional services.
- LINT 54 – two car body sections in a stretched version, noticeably longer.
- LINT 81 – three car body sections, the longest variant in the family.
These classes were built over the years across several generations. Older and newer vehicles of the same size differ in head shape, window arrangement and interior fittings, but keep the same basic proportions. That’s why train length is enough to place the size, but not the class.
A second point that often causes confusion in practice: the family also exists with other drive concepts. Alongside the classic diesel variants, there are battery-electric and fuel-cell vehicles built on the same car bodies. From the side they’re barely distinguishable – the roof and the twelve-digit vehicle number settle the matter.
For your collection that means in practice: always note the size class, number and date. That’s the only way to trace afterwards which of the visually similar classes you actually saw, and you’ll notice immediately when fleets shift after a new contract award.
Common mix-ups
It points to the 648 if …
- two car body sections stand on three bogies
- the front follows the angular-smooth LINT styling
- the radiator and exhaust sit on the roof
- both numbers start with 648
Look more closely if …
- the head shape looks more modern than expected – then a newer LINT class is likely
- several units are coupled together
- an unfamiliar livery obscures the styling
- you only have a side view without a view of the roof
It's not a 648 if …
- a pantograph sits on the roof
- the train consists of one or three car body sections
- the unit has four bogies
- the front looks folded like the Talent or strongly rounded like the Desiro
The trickiest case is the LINT 41 of Class 623: same size class, newer type generation, revised head shape. Here there’s no way around the vehicle number.
Conclusion
Class 648 is the standard case of German diesel local services – and a good training subject. The number of car body sections and bogies gets you to the basic type, the roof to the type of drive, the head shape to the generation, and the number to the exact class. In this order you’re practically never wrong.
Quick verdict
Two car body sections on three bogies with a LINT front and roof radiators: that's the Coradia LINT 41 of Class 648. Only the vehicle number helps to tell it apart from newer LINT classes.
Collect the whole LINT family
Document number, date and location – so you can see at a glance which classes and units you're still missing.
Summary
- The LINT 41 is one of the defining diesel railcars of German regional services and correspondingly common.
- The number of car body sections and bogies gets you to the right basic type in seconds.
- Telling it apart from newer LINT classes of the same length takes the head shape and the vehicle number.
- All details on service area and operator are snapshots.
Frequently asked questions
What is Class 648?
Class 648 is the Alstom Coradia LINT 41, a two-part diesel railcar for regional services. The two car body sections rest in the middle on a shared Jacobs bogie, so a complete unit has only three bogies. The vehicles are approved for 120 km/h.
What does the 41 in the name LINT 41 mean?
It states the approximate vehicle length in metres. The LINT family covers several size classes: LINT 27 as a single-part solo railcar, LINT 41 as two-part, and LINT 54 and LINT 81 in longer versions. Remembering this places the whole family by train length.
How do I recognise the LINT 41 reliably?
Count the bogies. Two car body sections with only three bogies mean an articulated railcar. Add the angular-smooth LINT front with a wraparound window band and the roof housings with radiator and exhaust. The vehicle number starts with 648.
What is the difference from Class 623?
Both are two-part LINT 41 vehicles, but belong to different type generations. The newer generation has a revised head shape and updated technology. Because the basic proportions stay the same, the vehicle number is the most reliable distinguishing feature.
What does the 95 in the twelve-digit vehicle number mean?
It's the UIC type code for diesel railcars and diesel multiple units. Electric multiple units carry a 94 there instead. Because Alstom also builds visually related vehicles with electric or battery-electric drive, this code is a valuable secondary check.
How fast does Class 648 run?
The maximum speed is 120 km/h. On regional lines with closely spaced stops, that's rarely reached in full; the route's parameters and the timetable determine the actual speed.
Why do both car body sections carry a 648 number?
Because both halves of this type are powered, no 9 number is assigned for an unpowered section. The serial numbers do, however, come from separate blocks, so the two halves of a unit can be reliably matched by number.
Where can you find Class 648?
On non-electrified regional and branch lines across the country. Which networks are currently run with LINT vehicles depends on transport contracts and shifts with every new award. Current sightings and up-to-date timetable information are therefore more reliable than older overviews.
Log your sighting of the Class 648 (Alstom Coradia LINT 41)
Date, location and vehicle number logged in seconds – and visible to the community.
Related classes
Class 623 (Alstom Coradia LINT 41)
Class 623 is a two-part Coradia LINT 41 – the same build as the older 648, but its own class with its own number range.
DMUClass 622 (Alstom Coradia LINT 54)
The LINT 54 of Class 622 is the longer of the two-part LINT variants – the one case where counting carriages alone isn't enough to identify it.
DMUClass 640 (Alstom Coradia LINT 27)
The Class 640 is the single-car Coradia LINT 27 – the shortest member of the LINT family. Here's how to recognise it and tell it apart from its longer sisters.
DMUClass 998
Class 998 is the driving trailer of the railbus family: it looks like a railcar and has a cab – but no engine.
DMUDB Class VT 11.5
From 1957, the VT 11.5 was the flagship of the Trans Europ Express: a diesel-hydraulic multiple unit with two power cars, later run as Class 601.
DMUClass VT 98 (Uerdinger Railbus)
The VT 98 is Germany's best-known railbus: two axles, tall build, running with trailers and driving trailers. Today it survives almost only in heritage service – here's how to spot it.
Who is behind it
Groups, brands, manufacturers and operators – who owns whom and how to recognise them out in the field.
3-Länderbahn
The 3-Länderbahn is a regional network around Siegen whose lines reach into three German states. The brand name has survived a change of operator: where Deutsche Bahn once ran the trains, the Hessische Landesbahn is now in charge – and you'd never guess it from the name.
BrandAKN Eisenbahn
AKN is one of the few brands in Germany where the name and the operating company genuinely coincide. The three lines A1, A2 and A3 north of Hamburg carry a line system found nowhere else – which makes identifying them in the field unusually easy.
ManufacturerAlstom
After taking over Bombardier Transportation, Alstom is Europe's broadest vehicle manufacturer. Diesel railcars, freight locomotives, trams – much of it comes from the same house, recognisable not by the logo but by the platform names and their body styles.
BrandBayerische Oberlandbahn (BOB)
The Bayerische Oberlandbahn is a case study in reverse: the company still exists, but its name has all but disappeared from the train. Anyone travelling to Munich-Holzkirchen today mostly sees a sister brand instead – yet still logs a BOB sighting.
Where to see the Class 648 (Alstom Coradia LINT 41)
Specific viewpoints with lighting times, coordinates and an honest verdict on whether the trip is worth it.
Bad Bentheim
Bad Bentheim is the last German station before the Netherlands – and the point where 15 kV AC meets 1.5 kV DC. Little traffic, but every train brings something: a locomotive change, a system changeover, vehicles from two networks. A small station with a very high haul per train.
Narrow gaugeHarzer Schmalspurbahnen zum Brocken
The Harzer Schmalspurbahnen operate Germany's largest connected metre-gauge network – and the only scheduled steam operation of this scale. On the Brockenbahn, trains work their way up to the highest mountain in northern Germany every day.
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