Saudi Arabia orders 20 high-speed trains from Spain’s Talgo, including maintenance contract

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has ordered 20 new high-speed trains from Spain’s Talgo SA, the company and Spain’s transport minister said. The contract also includes maintenance for the trains.

Contract value and backlog

Talgo said the agreement adds 1.33 billion euros ($1.57 billion) to its order backlog, bringing it to nearly 6 billion euros, which it described as a record.

Spanish rail sector context

The deal comes as Spain’s rail sector has faced reputational damage following a train collision near Cordoba last month that killed 46 people. The accident raised questions about whether investment to maintain the network is keeping pace with rising passenger demand.

Renfe role and minister’s statement

Transport Minister Oscar Puente praised the agreement in a post on X, saying it guarantees the continuity of state rail company Renfe as manager of Saudi high-speed rail until 2038 and includes the purchase of 20 new trains from Talgo, with an injection of more than 2.8 billion euros for Spanish companies.

Existing operations

Saudi Arabia’s rail system has been operating Talgo trains since 2018.

What do you think this agreement means for Spain’s rail sector after last month’s collision near Cordoba?