(Paris) Swedish railway company SJ will buy 25 high speed trains from Alstom capable of traveling up to 250 km / h, a contract worth 7 billion crowns (one billion CAD).
“SJ has […] decided to award the contract for at least 25 new high speed trains to Bombardier Transportation Sweden AB, which has been part of the Alstom group since January 29, 2021, ”the public company said in a statement on Monday.
SJ has embarked on a sweeping 12 billion crown (C $ 1.7 billion) plan in new and refurbished trains. In this context, the contract won by Alstom “is one of the most important train purchases in (its) history”, she noted.
The coronavirus pandemic has lowered passenger numbers after the 2019 record high, but SJ believes the drop will be temporary. The company says it wants to allow everyone to choose the train, which “is an important precondition for Sweden to achieve its climate goals”.
Capable of going at 250 km / h, these trains will be the fastest in Sweden, said SJ. They should enter service in 2026 between the main cities of the kingdom, and are intended to circulate to Denmark and Norway.
“Alstom is extremely proud to have won the contract for SJ’s high-speed trains,” a spokesperson for the French group reacted on Tuesday.
“We look forward to the official signing of the contract,” he added.