More New EMUs For Catalunya

On 15 December 2022, at Sant Andreu depot in Barcelona, Renfe President Isaías Táboas signed a contract with Alstom, CAF and Stadler for 97 new EMUs for Rodalies services in Catalunya. Present at the signing were also the presidents of Alstom and Stadler, Leopoldo Maestu and Iñigo Parra, and CAF board member Javier Martínez, together with MITMA minister Raquel Sánchez. María Eugènia Gay represented the Catalan Government. Historically, this is the largest ever purchase of new trains to be made in Catalunya, and will increase the capacity of the Rodalies fleet by 20 %. 

Alstom will build 49 100 m long Coradia Stream high-capacity trains at its Santa Perpètua de Mogoda works, near Barcelona. Its share of the contract is worth 367.6 million EUR. These trains with a total capacity of 900 passengers will supplement the 152 units with both single and double-deck cars already ordered in March 2021. The two orders are totalling a value of 1.8 billion EUR for 201 trains (including supply of spare parts and the maintenance of 56 of the trains for 15 years). To carry out this project, the site is undergoing an large investment and digitalisation plan, which includes the creation of the biggest automatised works within the Alstom Group.

Stadler will build 20 200 m long, 900-passenger FLIRT EMUs, valued at 307.7 million EUR, while CAF will build 28 EMUs, these intended for Media Distancia services, and worth 183 million EUR. 

Early in 2023 Renfe will place an order for four more trains. Of the 101 trains then on order, 56 will replace older stock and the entire fleet will be increased by the remaining 45. All are to enter service by 2029 or 2030. The design of the Rodalies trains will be identical to that of the earlier batch of 211 EMUs, ordered in late March 2021.

At present the Rodalies fleet has an average age of 20 years, some trains dating from the late 1980s and early 1990s. Age is taking its toll on fleet reliability, though even so train failures account for only 1 % of the reliability of Rodalies services.