ISRAEL: Two orders for the supply of additional rolling stock totalling €1·7bn have been signed by Israel Railways.
The first of the two agreements signed on January 22 is a €260m order for Alstom to supply a further 96 double-deck coaches, adding to the 580 currently in service.
This will enable ISR to operate eight-car sets with more than 1 200 seats. The contract includes an option to order additional coaches with ‘product evolution’ to allow the operation of 10-car sets.
Siemens Mobility was also awarded a firm order to supply 81 Desiro HS partly double-deck electric multiple-units under a framework contract signed in 2017. These will be delivered by 2029, following from 24 currently in service and 36 to be delivered from this year.
The additional stock will enable ISR to phase out its Siemens Viaggio Light single-deck coaches dating from 2008-11 which are in push-pull operation with diesel locos.
Director General of the Ministry of Transport & Road Safety Moshe Ben-Zakan said ISR has experienced a continuous increase in demand in recent years, with ridership expected to grow from 70 million passenger-journeys in 2019 to 105 million in 2025 and 300 million in 2040.
