Saudi Arabia Railways Orders 10 Additional Stadler Trains

Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has exercised an option under its 2024 contract with Swiss rolling-stock manufacturer Stadler to order 10 additional tailor-made intercity trains, doubling the fleet ordered for Saudi Arabia to 20 train sets. The additional order, valued at more than CHF 300 million, also includes an extension of the existing maintenance agreement to cover the newly ordered trains. The trains will be manufactured primarily at Stadler’s facilities in Switzerland, with the car bodies for the power cars to be produced at Stadler’s facility in Valencia, Spain. The new trains have been specially developed by Stadler in cooperation with Saudi Arabia Railways to address the Kingdom’s demanding climatic and operational conditions, including extreme heat and sand. The additional trains will operate on Saudi Arabia Railways’ East-West line, connecting key cities and regions including Riyadh, Hofuf, Abqaiq, and Dammam. The fleet expansion is expected to increase passenger capacity while supporting SAR’s objective of providing a high-performance intercity rail service with enhanced passenger comfort. Production of the additional trains is scheduled to commence following the first series, which entered production in April 2026. Commercial passenger operations are expected to commence in the second half of 2029. Stadler and Saudi Arabia Railways are also scheduled to present the new train to the public at InnoTrans 2028 in Berlin, the world’s largest rail industry trade fair. The order represents a significant expansion of Saudi Arabia Railways’ partnership with Stadler and further supports the development of Saudi Arabia’s intercity passenger rail network.