The RABe 501, nicknamed Giruno, is a high-speed electric multiple unit train built by Stadler Rail of Switzerland for the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB). According to Stadler Rail, it is the world's first single-decker low-floor high-speed train. The trains are intended to replace the ETR610 trains on the trans-Alpine route between Milan (Italy) and Basel / Zürich, with eventually further connections with Germany and Austria. The main route goes through the 57 kilometre-long Gotthard Base Tunnel. As a consequence, the Giruno is also referred to as the "Gotthard train". The 11-car units operate with a top speed of and can accommodate up to 403 passengers (117 in first class, 286 in second class). Two train sets can be coupled together to accommodate over 800 passengers. Names Stadler originally named the train the EC250. This was changed in 2017 to SMILE, short for Schneller Mehrsystemfähiger Innovativer Leichter Expresszug (English: “speedy multi-system innovative lightweight express train”). The SBB have named the train Giruno (Romansh: "Buzzard"). Development In April 2012, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) issued a tender for 29 new single-deck trains, capable of reaching 250 km/h, for service on routes between Germany, Switzerland and Italy via the then under-construction Gotthard Base Tunnel, the only completely flat route through the great Alpine barrier. Bids were placed by Stadler Rail (Switzerland), Siemens (Germany), Alstom (France) and Talgo (Spain). All four bids were rejected by SBB and a second round took place, at which point Siemens withdrew. On 9 May 2014 SBB announced an order worth for 29 Stadler EC250s. The final signing was delayed, however, as Alstom and Talgo both launched legal challenges: Alstom withdrew theirs in September 2014, while Talgo's complaintthat SBB gave the domestic producer an advantagewas dismissed by the Federal Administrative Court in October 2014. The final contract was signed between SBB and Stadler on 30 October 2014. The EC250's first public appearanceas a short 5-car setwas at InnoTrans 2016 in Berlin, Germany, by Stadler CEO, Peter Spuhler, and SBB CEO, Andreas Meyer. The first full 11-car set was presented at a ceremony in Bussnang on 18 May 2017, which was also attended by the then Swiss President Doris Leuthard. Shortly afterwards in August, the EC250 was renamed as SMILE following a public competition. As SBB intend to operate these trains across several countries, testing had to be carried out in Germany, Italy and Austria, in addition to Switzerland. In early