In October 2014, SBB placed an order with StadlerRail for 29 of the new 250 km/h high-speed trains "Giruno" (Stadler designation EC250 till 2017, then SMILE=Schneller Mehrsystemf?higer Innovativer Leichter Expresszug), mainly for traffic between Switzerland and Italy, but also for approval in Germany and Austria. Already in September 2016 at the Innotrans exhibition in Berlin a part of the first, not yet finished train was presented. From April 2017, the RABe 501 # 001 was on its first test runs. Initially, 6 pre-series trains were built for test runs and trial runs and to achieve the approvals. Since the winter of 2019, series production of the other 23 trains in Bussnang has been underway, with assembly and testing taking place at the commissioning centre in Erlen. All trains are to be delivered by the end of 2020. Train RABe 501 # 011 was seen on this day on test runs on the Thurtal route between Sulgen and Romanshorn. The train is running along the pond at Riedt near Erlen.
