Alstom has been awarded a €177 million contract to supply 10 new Coradia Stream regional trains to the Catalonian operator FGC (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya) of Spain, as well as their maintenance for a period of 15 years.

The new trains will be designed and manufactured at Alstom’s industrial centre in Santa Perpètua de la Mogoda, Barcelona, and will have advanced signalling capabilities. Preventive and corrective maintenance will take place at a a new services depot that Alstom will build at its site.

Design was carried out in collaboration with the ONCE Foundation, following universal design criteria to provide the best travel experience for all FGC users, including those with reduced mobility. The geography, architecture, and traditions of Catalonia also inspired the different design proposals.

The new trains will be used on a new commuter line that is to be built between Barcelona city centre and El Prat Airport, and have been designed in keeping with the special requirements for this type of journey, with lots of space for luggage and wider corridors to facilitate accessibility, and incorporate safety and passenger information systems to provide the highest safety levels and best on-board experience.

To significantly reduce road congestion and CO2 emissions, the new trains will be developed using eco-design criteria in line with Alstom’s strategy and FGC’s commitment to promoting sustainable mobility. This includes the choice of raw materials, traction systems, energy efficiency, and end-of-life recyclability. Ergonomic design, accessibility, low life-cycle costs and fleet reliability will contribute to making these trains an attractive and sustainable option for promoting public transportation.

Each train will consist of five single-deck cars with a maximum speed of 120 km/h and a total capacity of 600 passengers. With a low floor except for the bogie and cab areas, and extra-wide double doors located at platform height, the cars have been designed to make the most of the interior space, and have a flexible and modular architecture to adapt to different mobility needs throughout their life cycle.

Over 3,500 Coradia trains have been sold to date, with about 2,900 currently operating in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Canada. They can be supplied in a range of emission-free solutions, including battery or hydrogen versions for non-electrified lines.

Leopoldo Maestu, Managing Director, Alstom Spain, said: “This contract is the result of Alstom’s commitment to smart and sustainable mobility in Catalonia. As long-time industry and technology partners, we want to offer solutions that meet the 21st century’s mobility challenges. To do so, we offer leading technology in the sector, unique industrial capacity, a local supplier network and a consolidated value chain for developing these state-of-the-art trains for FGC. We are confident they will be the new face of sustainable mobility in Barcelona and Catalonia.”