France’s national rail company SNCF has placed a €135 million order with Alstom for 21 Coradia Duplex trainsets, seven of which are four-car trainsets and 14 three-car trainsets. This order is part of a long-term investment programme for the renewal of the regional express train fleet, launched in 2000 and financed by the French regions.
The contract brings the number of cars ordered since 2000 to 487 out of the 629 required to be delivered by 2009. The order value now totals €727 million.
The trainsets will serve four regions. The Centre region will receive five trainsets, Picardie two, and Lorraine four. The Pays de Loire region, to be supplied for the first time, will receive 10. Deliveries will begin in September 2007.
Construction will take place at Alstom sites in Valenciennes, Tarbes, Villeurbanne, Le Creusot and Ornans in France, and the Charleroi site in Belgium. Bombardier will work on 28 vehicles with Alstom at its Crespin site in France.
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