SAUDI ARABIA: National operator Saudi Arabia Railways has selected Swiss design consultancy Nose Design Experience to support the development of its next-generation of inter-city trainsets.
In February 2024 SAR awarded Stadler contracts worth SFr600m to supply and maintain 10 trainsets for use on the East line linking Riyadh with Dammam, with options for 10 more.
Nose will be responsible for the complete interior and exterior design, collaborating with engineers at Stadler’s Bussnang plant to meet the technical standards and constraints.
On January 8 Nose said it was aiming for ‘a seamless blend of modern aesthetics and advanced technology that reflects the SAR brand, the rich cultural heritage of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and SAR’s vision of becoming a leader in transport and logistics’.
The trainsets will be 175 m long with a capacity of about 320 passengers. They will have two independent diesel-electric power cars meeting European Stage V emission standards.
Nose has previously worked with Stadler on projects including the Mika EMUs for BLS, Orion EMUs for narrow gauge operator MGB, Flirt Nordic Express trainsets for Norway, and its range of Tina trams.
