The basic contract between CAF and SJ AB will see 25 units supplied and has a value of around €300m, with the first of the trains set to be in operation by 2026.
The CAF Civity Nordic platform units have been designed for both regional and inter-regional operations and are fully equipped in order to withstand Swedens severe weather conditions including snow and temperatures dropping as low as -40°C. The trains will be made up of 5 cars and will run at speeds of 200km/h with plenty of capacity, as three of the coupled trains can provide 1,000 seats. The trains also offer accessibility and are flexible in supporting passengers varying needs.
The SJ Group is a public company with 5,400 employees that operate most of the Swedish rail network and connects Stockholm with other Scandinavian capitals, such as Copenhagen and Oslo. The rail operator provides transport for over 150,000 passengers each day and is well respected for its highly efficient and environmentally friendly service and has even . SJ has been named Swedens most sustainable brand and is the most popular transport company in the country alongside being Europe's leading digital transport company.
SJ is currently carrying out plans to upgrade its fleet as some units are approaching their end of serviceable life, the rail operators wishes to increase capacity of its trains and provide for an anticipated growth in demand over the next few years. The upgrades are also part of SJs aims to achieve a cutting edge and comfortable service for passengers whilst providing sustainable and efficient operations by cutting energy usage and maintenance costs.
CAF has committed to the Nordic market with this new contract and following its purchase of Swedish company EuroMaint back in 2019. EuroMaint is the leading train maintenance company in Sweden and is a benchmark company for the Nordic rail market with a substantial share in the train fleet maintenance sector. The company also supplies railway components for operators in the region. CAF's purchase of EuroMaint demonstrated a foothold in the area providing a favourable edge for new project opportunities for the Scandinavian region, which is anticipated to see a large number of tenders announced over the next few years.
CAF has already carried out a significant number of projects in the region and some of the most noted are the supply of high-speed units for Norway, the production of metro units for Helsinki and the supply of tram fleets for Stockholm and Lund in Sweden and Oslo in Norway.
2021 saw CAF awarded multiple contracts in Sweden including the manufacture of 20 Electric Multiple Units and 8 Biodiesel Electric Bimodal Units for AB Transitio, and utilising its subsidiary EuroMaint, two service contracts for rail operator SJ AB which sees a 12-year maintenance of the train fleet operating on the Krösatågen and Kustpilen lines, alongside the upgrade of 57 cars for the Swedish operator's overnight passenger car fleet.
