SNCB places 1.7 billion euro order with Spanish train builder CAF

Belgian rail operator SNCB has placed an initial order for 180 motor coaches with Spanish train manufacturer CAF, worth 1.7 billion euros, it announced on Friday. The order brings an end to a lengthy and contested procurement process.

The tender procedure was originally launched in 2022, but faced several legal challenges. The Council of State temporarily suspended the decision in April over concerns about transparency, saying the SNCB had failed to clearly specify the method used to assess the technical quality of the competing bids.

The SNCB then re-evaluated its decision and issued a new justification in line with the Council’s ruling. Rival bidders Siemens and Alstom tried to challenge the selection of the Spanish train builder, but their appeals were definitively rejected by the Council of State in September.

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The decision to award the contract to CAF also caused discontent among trade unions at Alstom’s plant in Bruges, which feared it could lead to the site's closure. The company announced last week that it plans to cut 150 jobs at the site to "adapt to market realities and adjust its resources accordingly".

54,000 seats

The order covers 180 motor coaches, providing around 54,000 seats. The order forms part of a broader framework agreement, which SNCB’s board of directors formally awarded to CAF on Friday. The deal allows SNCB to order up to 170,000 seats in total over time.

According to SNCB, the carriages will offer improved passenger comfort, including step-free access for people with reduced mobility, quiet zones, passenger information screens, onboard connectivity and sufficient space for bicycles. The order also includes a battery-powered variant, which is expected in the longer term to replace existing diesel-powered trains.

The new trains will carry the designation MR30 and are intended to gradually replace older rolling stock that is more prone to breakdowns. The first trains are expected to enter service in 2030.

^{PHOTO © STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP}

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