RECARO Rail has unveiled its VELA seating platform at InnoTrans 2026 and confirmed that first serial deliveries are beginning in 2026. FlixTrain will be the launch customer for more than 40,000 VELA PAX seats across retrofit and linefit programmes through 2028.
The retrofit package is due to enter service in 2026, while the linefit seats are tied to new rolling stock scheduled for 2028. VELA features an ergonomically designed backrest and headrest, a five-stage recline system and a large tray table, with the design developed in collaboration with FlixTrain.
RECARO Rail has expanded its production base to support the rollout, including an additional assembly line, more shifts, lean manufacturing measures, Kanban systems, organisational restructuring and a new warehouse management system. The rail division has grown its team by 50% over the past year and almost doubled order intake in 2026 compared with previous years, as it scales up capacity around the new platform.