Agreement with the Swiss Export Risk Insurance agency and European banks to purchase Stadler trains; total number of contracted trains rises to 20

Riyadh | BETH

Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has signed a financing agreement with the Swiss Export Risk Insurance agency SERV and a number of European and Swiss banks to finance the purchase of 10 new passenger trains from the Swiss company Stadler.

The agreement raises the total number of passenger trains contracted with the company to 20 trains, with a capacity of 302 seats per train, in a move aimed at increasing the passenger service capacity and supporting the expansion of the Kingdom’s railway network.

The financing reflects the participation of European credit and export institutions in Saudi infrastructure projects, while SERV represents one of Switzerland’s instruments for supporting and financing exports and covering the associated risks.

The deal comes as part of a broader expansion by SAR to develop its passenger and freight fleet and enhance network reliability, alongside new international agreements in the railway and logistics sectors. The company had signed several contracts during the current week to develop its freight fleet and improve operational efficiency.

A Network Extending More Than 5,500 Kilometers

Saudi Arabia’s railway network extends for more than 5,500 kilometers, and includes the Northern, Eastern, Haramain High-Speed and Mashaaer trains, in addition to freight, mineral and cargo transport networks.

According to SAR data, the system includes around 220 passenger and freight trains, while the Haramain High-Speed Railway fleet alone consists of 35 trains, and the various networks serve more than 13 million passengers annually.

With the addition of the 10 new trains, the system is moving toward increasing capacity and modernizing the passenger fleet, in parallel with the expansion of the railway network and future connectivity projects.