Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has issued a tender for the supply of ten new passenger trains for operation on the country’s Northern Network.

The new trains form part of Saudi Arabia’s development of its transport system in order to improve passenger rail services across the Kingdom, which are in accordance with the objectives set out in the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, and the desires highlighted in Saudi Vision 2030.

Saudi Arabia Railways issued the tender as part of a phased approach to modernising and expanding the passenger train fleet across its various networks.

The successful bidder will be responsible for the design, manufacture, and supply of the new passenger trains, as well as ongoing maintenance of the fleet after delivery; efficient maintenance will contribute to ensuring the trains’ operational readiness and their long-term sustainability.

The tender has been issued in accordance with Saudi Arabia’s approved regulatory procedures for public tenders, and the deadline for bids is 11th May 2026.

The Northern Network, on which the new trains will operate, extends for approximately 2,700 kilometres and provides connections between several major cities, including Riyadh, Al-Majmaah, Qassim, Hail, Al-Jouf, and Al-Qurayyat. There are plans to expand and extend the network in the future, and to build new passenger stations, including at Al-Zulfi.

As well as these new trains for the Northern Network, ten new passenger trains are currently being built for operation on the country’s Eastern Line.

The new trains will help to improve the operational efficiency and reliability of the country’s railway network, and contribute to developing more passenger services throughout the kingdom.

One of the companies that will be in the running for the order will be Stadler, which, in February 2024, secured an order from Saudi Arabia Railways for the supply and ongoing maintenance of 10+10 Next Generation passenger trains. Another bidder may be Alstom, which in January 2024, signed a contract to build a 22.4 km battery-powered tramway in the country.

”Expanding the passenger train fleet represents a strategic objective and a key step within the company’s plans to further develop passenger transport services. The entry of the new trains into service will help meet the growing demand for passenger journeys by increasing the operational capacity of the Northern Network to nearly three times its current level, raising total seating capacity to more than 2.4 million seats annually, and enhancing SAR’s ability to support the continued growth of intercity passenger transport.

Dr. Bashar Al-Malik, Saudi Arabia Railways CEO