The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted a EUR 600 million loan to the Belgian National Railway Company (SNCB) to invest in modernising its rolling stock. The new trains will provide comfort, service and safety to rail users across Belgium from September 2018.
The EUR 400 million contract was signed on March 31, and it follows an initial EUR 200 million tranche allocated in December 2016.
The EIB financing will cover part of the order the SNCB has placed with Bombardier-Alstom for 445 double-decker M7 railcars, which will make it possible to retire old rolling stock while also expanding the SNCB’s services for users.
In concrete terms, customers will be able to travel on the new, comfortable trains offering more seats and equipped with ETCS. The SNCB requires 190 000 additional places by 2030, including 105 000 by 2023, mainly to refresh its rolling stock, replace old trains which are not compatible with ETCS and add more seats.
In December 2015, Bombardier Transportation – Alstom consortium signed a framework contract to supply up to 1,362 M7 double deck cars to the Belgian National Railways. The total order is valued at EUR 3.3 billion, of which Bombardier’s part is worth around EUR 2.1 billion while Alstom’s share is worth EUR 1.2 billion.
The first firm order signed includes the design and manufacturing of 445 cars and is valued at approximately EUR 1.3 billion. Deliveries for this first order will take place between September 2018 and 2021. The frame contract includes options for up to 917 additional cars.
Bombardier’s site in Bruges (Belgium), will provide 65 multifunctional steering cars and 290 trailer cars. Alstom will design and build 90 motorized cab cars in its Valenciennes site (France) with the support of its electrical and signalling centre of excellence based in Charleroi (Belgium). Alstom will also develop and produce the ETCS level 2 system to equip the total fleet.
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