According to CAF, the contract, which also includes the supply of the relevant depot parts, is worth almost €200 million and includes eventual options to extend its scope in the future, including the manufacture of an additional nine complete trains, and additional cars that can be used to extend the units in the base contract.
This new project stems from the major investment plan pursued by Renfe in recent years, the main goal of which has been to update a significant portion of its train fleet, with a clear commitment to incorporating more efficient and sustainable units.
It is also the third contract awarded to CAF within this modernization plan, which after this new agreement raises the company's turnover with the operator above €750 million.
The trains to be manufactured by CAF will have a four-car basic configuration, boasting a capacity for over 500 passengers. They will also be fitted out with state-of-the-art technology and onboard passenger accessibility and comfort features, designed to facilitate access for people with reduced mobility and systems that make journeys more comfortable for visually or hearing-impaired passengers.
The acquisition of these trains is part of Renfe’s Fleet Renewal Plan launched in 2019, which will mean the renewal of approximately 50% of the trains dedicated to Public Service Obligations (OSP).
The new trains will allow the rejuvenation of the fleet, with the consequent increase in reliability and the reduction of incidents; an increase in energy efficiency; the adaptation to the obligations of implementation of accessibility; the replacement of diesel material, and the increase in safety in the rail system.
Renfe is making the biggest investment effort in recent decades to renew and expand its train fleet, with a firm investment of more than €5,500 million that will allow the purchase or remodeling of 539 trains or locomotives.