Oslo - Swiss-based Stadler Rail Group was selected Tuesday to deliver new regional trains worth 4 billion kroner (739 million dollars), Norwegian train operator NSB said.

"This is NSB's largest single contract to date and a historic deal," NSB chief executive Einar Enger said in a statement.

The Norwegian train operator was to buy 50 trains consisting of five cars each from the Swiss group, and had an option for a further 100 trains known as Flirt (Fast, Light, Innovative, Regional Train).

The new trains to be delivered 2012 were mainly to be used in south-eastern Norway.

Train operators in Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Poland have also deployed the model, NSB said.

In all five groups vied for the NSB contract. (dpa)