Talgo will manufacture and maintain 20 high-speed trains for Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) for operation on the Mecca–Medina–Jeddah Haramain High Speed Railway. The order, awarded by the Saudi Ministries of Transport and Logistics and Finance through the Saudi Spanish Train Project Company (SSTPC), adds EUR 1.3bn to Talgo’s order book, bringing it close to EUR 6bn.
Each train will comprise two power cars and 13 coaches, with a total capacity of 417 seats across two classes, including areas for catering and passengers with reduced mobility.
Talgo is already responsible for maintaining the existing fleet operating on the Haramain line. Under the new agreement, the company will maintain a total fleet of 55 trainsets until 2033, with an option to extend the maintenance contract to 2038.
The new trains will be used on the 450 km Haramain High Speed Railway, which is designed for a maximum commercial speed of 300 km/h and equipped with ERTMS Level 2 signalling. The line currently operates more than 100 services per day, increasing to over 140 daily services during the Hajj period.
As part of its maintenance activities in Saudi Arabia, Talgo operates two maintenance facilities on the Haramain corridor and employs more than 270 staff in the country.
