Pendolino order for Alstom

has been awarded a contract to supply four high-speed Pendolino trains for the Helsinki to St. Petersburg rail link. The contract is worth €120m and includes an option for two further trains.

The customer, Karelian Trains, is a joint venture between Russian Railways (RZD) and Finnish Railways (VR), which will co-manage the trains.

The new Pendolino trains will operate on a 450km, high-speed line connecting the cities of Helsinki and St Petersburg in three hours at speeds of up to 220kph. The trains will comprise seven cars, making a total of 352 seats, including a business class section. Customs and passport checks will be carried out on board in a dedicated car.

Scheduled for delivery in early 2009 and ready for service in 2010, the trains are based on Pendolinos that already operate in Finland, featuring the same front-end and interior fittings and adapted to extreme winter conditions. They also include components taken from the latest generation of Alstom tilting trains and are equipped with a dual voltage power supply system and safety and signalling systems.