Alstom to deliver 25 high-speed trains to Sweden

Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has signed a historic agreement with Sweden’s national rail operator SJ to supply 25 Zefiro Express electric high-speed trains, with an option of 15 additional trains. The contract for the first firm order is valued at around €650 million.

The new trains will effectively be Sweden’s fastest ever, capable of operating at maximum speeds of 250km/h. The first train is scheduled for delivery in 2026.

Alstom is immensely proud to be delivering these new high-speed trains to SJ. This is a historic agreement that will change the way passengers travel across the country. With concerns about climate change, high-speed rail is the primary alternative to air travel. It’s comfortable, convenient, and now very fast. This is a trend we see everywhere, and Alstom is the leader in this domain with experience from several high-speed train projects around the world. We thank SJ for their continued confidence in us,” says Rob Whyte, Managing Director of Alstom Nordics.

Designed for Swedish conditions

The Zefiro Express trains are designed to operate in harsh weather conditions – even when temperatures drop as low as -40C – and their cutting-edge technology will ensure that passengers will have a safe and comfortable journey. The floors in the train carriages are flat and ramp-free, which allow easy passage on, off and along the train.

The state-of-the-art Zefiro Express trains will each have a total capacity of 363 seats, providing passengers with an exceptional travel experience – the trains have been ergonomically designed for maximum comfort and feature premium seating and lighting.

The carriage width, electrical systems, and signalling systems have been developed with an understanding that the trains will run in both Sweden and Denmark, but they will also be certified for traffic in Norway.

Leader in high-speed trains

The Zefiro Express is part of Alstom’s high and very high-speed train Avelia platform – the largest offering on the market, covering maximum operating speeds between 200 km/h and 350 km/h. A wide range of configurations and architectures are available to provide best fit to customer needs; single-deck or double-deck, concentrated or distributed traction, articulated or non-articulated architecture, as well as options such as tilting capability. Almost 3,000 high-speed or very-high-speed trains with Alstom technology have been sold worldwide over the last 40 years.

Alstom is the most significant supplier in the Swedish rail market, having delivered more than 1,000 trains to Swedish railways. Alstom also has several large maintenance contracts, carrying out maintenance in 19 local depots, including depots in Motala and Västerås, specializing in heavy maintenance and renovations. The company is also leading the roll-out of ERTMS in Sweden, both onboard and trackside, and is supplying the standardised national traffic system to the Swedish Transport Administration.

Alstom is a pioneer in sustainable mobility solutions, in line with its ambition to facilitate the global transition to transport systems with a low climate footprint. Among those innovations is the renowned Coradia iLint, the world’s first hydrogen-powered passenger train, which Alstom demonstrated in Östersund, Sweden on the 24th of August 2021. The Coradia iLint is a hydrogen fuel cell train that produces its own electrical power on board, emitting nothing but water during operation.

Alstom™, Zefiro Express™ and Coradia iLint™ are protected trademarks of the Alstom Group