Saudi Arabia Railways Awards Talgo Contract for 20 New High-Speed Trains in Major Haramain Expansion

Saudi Arabia Railways (Saudi Arabia Railways, SAR) has signed a landmark contract with Spanish rolling stock manufacturer Talgo for the manufacture and long-term maintenance of 20 additional high-speed trains for the Haramain High Speed Railway. The agreement was announced under the patronage of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser.

The order forms part of an expanded Phase II of the Haramain project and adds approximately €1.3 billion to Talgo’s order backlog, bringing it close to €6 billion, the highest level in the company’s history. The new trainsets will strengthen passenger capacity on the 450-kilometre Haramain High Speed Railway linking Mecca and Medina via Jeddah, a corridor that has seen strong growth in daily operations and pronounced demand peaks during Hajj and Umrah seasons.

Fleet expansion and delivery timeline

Under the agreement, delivery of the first new trains is scheduled to begin in 2028, with the full expanded fleet expected to be completed by 2031. Once delivered, SAR’s high-speed fleet on the Haramain line will grow from 35 to 55 Talgo trainsets.

Technical and operational specifications

The new trains will be based on the proven Talgo high-speed platform already in service on the Haramain corridor, specifically adapted for long-distance operation in extreme desert conditions.

Each trainset will feature a 13-car configuration consisting of two power cars and 11 passenger coaches, offering a total capacity of 417 seats. This includes 304 economy class seats and 113 business class seats, alongside dedicated areas for catering services and passengers with reduced mobility. The interior layout is designed with full level access and no internal steps, enabling rapid boarding and improved accessibility.

The trains will operate under 25 kV AC electrification and ETCS Level 2 signalling, allowing commercial speeds of up to 300 km/h. Talgo’s lightweight articulated design and bogie technology reduce energy consumption and mechanical wear, an important factor given the Haramain line’s intensive service patterns and sandy operating environment.

Special attention has been given to climate resilience. The trainsets are engineered to operate reliably in temperatures ranging from near freezing to around 50°C, with reinforced air-conditioning systems, advanced sand and dust filtration, and protective treatments for exterior surfaces and glazing.

The existing Haramain fleet has already demonstrated a strong reliability record under these conditions, forming the technical baseline for the new order.

Strategic importance and operational impact

The fleet expansion directly supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transport and mobility objectives. Once fully deployed, the enlarged high-speed fleet will enable network capacity to rise towards approximately 30 million seats per year, strengthening the railway’s role as a backbone for domestic mobility and pilgrimage transport.

Higher fleet availability and operational flexibility will also allow SAR to increase service frequency during peak periods while maintaining robust performance during off-peak operations.

Long-term maintenance and partnership

Under the contract, Talgo will continue to provide full maintenance services for both the existing 35 trains and the 20 new units through 2033, with an option to extend the agreement until 2038. Maintenance activities will be carried out in Saudi Arabia, supported by Talgo’s established local facilities and a workforce of more than 270 staff dedicated to Haramain operations.

Talgo has been a key technology and maintenance partner for SAR since the initial delivery of the Haramain high-speed fleet in 2018. The expanded agreement further reinforces this long-term partnership, positioning the Haramain High Speed Railway as one of the world’s most intensively used and technically advanced high-speed lines operating in desert conditions.

Editor’s note:
Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) is currently executing a broad rolling-stock expansion programme across multiple market segments. In addition to the 20 newly ordered high-speed trainsets from Talgo for the Haramain line, SAR has also awarded a contract to Stadler for a new generation of intercity and regional passenger trains, with further options available. At the same time, a separate tender is ongoing for additional passenger trains for the Northern Network. Together, these projects underline SAR’s strategy to scale capacity, modernise its fleet and support long-term passenger growth across the Kingdom.