OREANDA-NEWS. Alstom has signed a contract with Algeria’s Soci?t? Nationale des Transports Ferroviaires (SNTF) to supply 17 Coradia Polyvalent inter-city trains. The contract is worth around 200 million euros. The first train will be delivered in January 2018.

This investment is part of SNTF’s programme to modernise and extend its network. The trains will link Algiers to destinations such as Oran, Annaba, Constantine and B?char.

"We are delighted that SNTF has placed its confidence in Alstom. Already adopted by SNCF and the French regions since 2009, Coradia Polyvalent is the ideal choice to meet Algeria's transport needs. Algerian passengers can be sure that they are travelling on trains with the latest technical innovations, combining comfort, performance and protection of the environment," said Gian-Luca Erbacci, Senior Vice-President of Alstom Transport in the Middle East and Africa.

The Coradia Polyvalent for Algeria is a dual-mode train (diesel and electric, 25 kV) able to travel at 160 km/h. With a total length of 110 metres, the train has six carriages and provides capacity for 265 passengers.

Coradia Polyvalent meets the needs of SNTF and its passengers. It is adapted to the environmental conditions of the country (sand, external temperatures) and has a highly efficient air conditioning system. The train also has a fully low floor for easy access and movement on board. Accessible to everyone, particularly passengers with reduced mobility, it respects the latest TSI[1] PRM standards. Finally, the train’s design and highly efficient motors eliminate noise and vibration for unparalleled comfort.

The teams at Alstom’s site in Reichshoffen, France will design, produce and test the 17 trains. Five other French sites will contribute to the project: Saint-Ouen for the design, Le Creusot for the bogies, Ornans for the motors and alternators, Tarbes for the traction chains and Villeurbanne for the on-board electronics and passenger information system.

Alstom’s Coradia range benefits from 30 years of experience. Its 3,000 trains have travelled over four billion kilometres.

[1] Technical Specification for Interoperability