OREANDA-NEWS. Rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation today announced it has received an option order for 40 OMNEO Premium double deck EMUs from SNCF on behalf of the Normandy Region. This order is valued at approximately 585 million euro ($620 million US) and is part of the contract signed in 2010 with SNCF to provide up to 860 double deck trains to the French Regions. The Normandy Region plans to roll out these new premium trains at the end of 2019 to improve comfort and capacity by over 20% on the frequently used Paris-Rouen-le Havre and Paris-Caen-Cherbourg lines, compared to the lines’ existing fleets.

“This is the first order for the newly-designed Premium version of our OMNEO double deck platform”, said Laurent Bouyer, President of Bombardier Transportation in France. “Passengers will benefit from over 100 additional seats and a new-level of rail travel comfort and style. Designed by our teams in France, the OMNEO product family, which includes the Regio 2N train, is currently the key structuring project for our Crespin site and for the French rail industry.”

Specifically designed to set a new standard for comfort on long intercity journeys, the OMNEO Premium trains can travel at 200 km/h and offer a range of amenities for long distance travellers. Passengers can now enjoy a spacious, WiFi-equipped train that features USB charging ports, standard power plugs, and a wider seat equipped with integrated lighting. Normandy’s new trains will be 135m-long, offer 470 seats, and operate in multiple units.

To date, the French Regions have ordered a total of 253 trains of the OMNEO product family under the 2010 framework contract: (40) OMNEO Premium for Normandy and 213 Regio 2N for Nouvelle Aquitaine (24), Brittany (21), Centre-Val de Loire (14), Hauts-de-France (25), ?le-de-France (42), Occitanie (18), Pays de la Loire (13), Auvergne-Rh?ne-Alpes (40), Provence-Alpes-C?te d’Azur (16). Following the current state of orders, the last train will be delivered in early 2021.