Saudi Arabia Orders 10 Additional Intercity Trains from Stadler Switzerland in Contract Worth Over CHF 300 Million

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 9, Swiss rolling stock manufacturer Stadler announced that Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has formally exercised the option in the original 2024 procurement contract to order 10 additional custom-built intercity passenger trains, with the new order valued at over CHF 300 million. This procurement increases the total number of trains covered by the contract between the two parties from 10 to 20, with the existing vehicle maintenance agreement extended to cover the additional trains as well. Commercial passenger service is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2029.

The new trains are based on the custom model jointly developed by Stadler and Saudi Arabia Railways. Each train is approximately 175 meters long, equipped with two independent power cars, and has a passenger capacity of approximately 320. The vehicles are designed for Saudi Arabia's high-temperature and dusty environment, featuring dedicated protection and filtration systems as well as redundant equipment. They also include passenger cabins of different classes, luggage storage areas, and passenger service facilities.

The new trains are planned to enter service on Saudi Arabia Railways' eastern intercity rail network, serving passenger transport between cities including Riyadh, Hofuf, Abqaiq, and Dammam. Saudi Arabia Railways will increase train allocations on existing lines and incorporate the new vehicles into its existing operations and maintenance system.

Vehicle production will be primarily undertaken at Stadler's factory in Switzerland, while the power car bodies will be manufactured at its Valencia plant in Spain. The first batch of 10 trains entered the production phase in April 2026, and the additional batch will be manufactured directly following completion of the first batch's production tasks.

This additional order is executed under the original contract signed in February 2024. At that time, the two parties confirmed an initial procurement of 10 intercity trains, with an option for an additional 10, and also signed a 10-year vehicle maintenance contract. The total value of the original vehicle supply and maintenance contract was approximately CHF 600 million.

Saudi Arabia Railways signed the relevant financing agreement in late September 2026 during the InnoTrans international rail technology trade fair in Berlin, Germany, and subsequently formally exercised the additional purchase option. According to the follow-up arrangements announced by both parties, the new model is planned to be publicly showcased during the 2028 InnoTrans trade fair, after which it will enter Saudi Arabia Railways' passenger transport system according to the production and delivery schedule.