Posted: 9 February 2026 | Gabriel Higgins | No comments yet

Talgo has secured a major Saudi Arabia Railways contract covering new high speed trains and long term maintenance, lifting its order book to a record level.

Talgo has been awarded a major new contract to manufacture and maintain 20 additional high speed trains for Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) on the line linking the holy cities of Mecca and Medina with Jeddah. The contract was awarded by the Saudi Ministries of Transportation and Logistics and Finance through the Saudi Spanish Train Project Company and represents a significant expansion of the Haramain High Speed Railway fleet.

The new order adds €1.3 billion to Talgo’s order book, taking it to a record level close to €6 billion. It builds on the company’s existing presence in the Kingdom, where it supplied 35 high speed trains in 2018 that continue to operate reliably in demanding desert conditions. Talgo is also responsible for maintaining the current fleet, a role that will now be extended under the new agreement.

The 20 new trains will have equivalent technical characteristics to the existing units in service. Each trainset will consist of two power cars and 13 coaches, offering a total capacity of 417 seats across two classes. Dedicated areas for catering and passengers with reduced mobility are also included, reflecting the operational and accessibility requirements of the line.

The acquisition forms part of Saudi Arabia’s wider strategy to expand passenger rail services and meet steadily growing demand. The existing Talgo 350 fleet operates at a maximum commercial speed of 300 km per hour and has delivered strong operational performance and high passenger satisfaction levels since entering service.

As part of the expanded Phase II Haramain High Speed Railway agreement, the operation and maintenance period has been extended. Talgo will now be responsible for maintaining the full fleet of 55 trains until 2033, with an option to extend the contract to 2038. This long term commitment reinforces continuity and reliability on one of the Kingdom’s most strategically important passenger corridors.

A key feature of the new trains is Talgo’s step free interior design with full platform level access. This supports faster passenger flows during peak periods and improves accessibility for travellers with luggage and reduced mobility. The enlarged fleet will strengthen capacity on a route that typically operates more than 100 daily services, rising to over 140 during the annual Hajj season, when demand peaks and millions of passengers are carried.

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Funding & Finance, High-Speed Rail, Infrastructure Developments, Operational Performance, Passengers With Reduced Mobility (PRM), Rolling Stock Maintenance, Rolling Stock Orders/Developments, Safety, Signalling, Control & Communications, Sustainability/Decarbonisation

Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR), Talgo

Saudi Arabia