SNCB Awards €1.7bn Contract to CAF for New AM30 Train Fleet

Belgium’s national rail operator SNCB has selected CAF to design, build and supply a new generation of trains that will modernise its passenger fleet. The agreement takes the form of a framework contract covering an initial order of 180 AM30 trainsets, together capable of carrying around 54,000 passengers.

The deal is valued at approximately 1.7 billion euros and includes provision for a substantial expansion. Under the terms of the agreement, SNCB may order up to a further 380 trains, which would increase total passenger capacity by an additional 170,000 if the full option is exercised.

SNCB, founded in 1926, plays a central role in Belgium’s transport system. The state-owned operator employs more than 17,000 people and carries around 250 million passengers annually across a network spanning some 3,700 kilometres. Its services range from long-distance InterCity routes to regional and suburban operations linking cities and communities across the country.

The award adds to CAF’s growing presence in the Benelux region, where the manufacturer has secured a series of high-profile contracts in recent years. These include metro trains for Brussels, metro and tram vehicles for Amsterdam, and tram fleets for cities such as Luxembourg, Utrecht, Antwerp and Liège, as well as the Belgian Coast Line.

CAF has also supplied more than 200 commuter trains to Dutch operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen, alongside more recent deliveries including 60 double-deck units for the same customer and 10 commuter trains for QBuzz. In parallel, its bus subsidiary Solaris has strengthened its footprint in the region’s public transport market, delivering close to 550 buses to operators across Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Image: CAF