The Saudi Arabian Railway Company (SAR) has announced a tender for the manufacture of 10 new passenger trains for Saudi Arabia’s Northern Network, as part of its efforts to develop the transport system and increase the efficiency of passenger rail services across the country, in line with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and the aspirations of Saudi Vision 2030.
The deadline for submitting bids is May 11, 2026, in accordance with the approved regulated procedures for public tenders.
SAR has specified that the tender includes the design, manufacture, and supply of new passenger trains, as well as rolling stock maintenance services, contributing to increased operational readiness and long-term asset sustainability.
“The expansion of the passenger train fleet is a strategic objective and a key step in the company’s plans to further develop passenger transport services. The introduction of the new trains into service will help meet the growing demand for rail travel by increasing operational capacity on Saudi Arabia’s Northern Network by nearly three times the current level,” said SAR CEO Bashar Al-Malik.
According to SAR, the new trains will help increase total traffic capacity to over 2.4 million seats per year and improve SAR’s ability to support the continued growth of intercity passenger transport.
As part of the development of passenger services, SAR will introduce ten more new trains on the Eastern Line to improve operational efficiency and increase service reliability across the national network. In February 2024, Stadler won a EUR 648 million contract to deliver intercity trains, with an option for ten more trains. Each train delivered by Stadler will be 175 meters long and have a capacity of 320 passengers each.
Saudi Arabia’s Northern Network has a total length of 2,700 km and connects several major cities, including Riyadh, Al-Majmaah, Qassim, Hail, Al-Jouf, and Al-Qurayyat. There are also plans to expand in the coming years by adding new passenger stations, including Al-Zulfi. This tender is part of the SAR’s phased and ongoing approach to modernising and expanding its passenger rolling stock fleet across its various networks. In addition to expanding its rolling stock fleet, Saudi Arabia will extend its network with international connections, signing an agreement with Qatar for a high-speed rail link between Riyadh and Doha.
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