Stadler Rail receives 300 million franc order from Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has exercised an option from a 2024 contract to order ten additional intercity trains from Stadler Rail. This order, valued at over 300 million Swiss francs, doubles the total fleet of specially developed vehicles to 20 trains. The existing maintenance agreement will also be extended to cover the new units.

The 175-meter-long trains are specifically engineered to withstand the extreme heat and sand conditions of Saudi Arabia. They feature two independent locomotives, redundant systems, and specialized protection and filtration systems. Each train is designed to accommodate approximately 320 passengers.

Production will primarily take place in Stadler's Swiss facilities, with car bodies for the power cars manufactured at the company's plant in Valencia, Spain. The trains are intended for SAR's east-west line, connecting Riyadh, Hofuf, Abqaiq, and Dammam. Commercial passenger operations are expected to begin in the second half of 2029.