Belgium’s national railway operator, SNCB/NMBS, has placed an order for 180 train carriages worth €1.7 billion with Spanish manufacturer CAF.
The first carriages are expected to be operational by 2030. These 180 units will provide a total of 54,000 seats.
The SNCB/NMBS board finalised its decision on Friday to award the framework agreement to CAF, which could eventually cover up to 170,000 seats.
The Belgian operator was criticised earlier this year for choosing a Spanish company for the new contract, despite the availability of a Belgian one.
The selection process faced legal challenges from competitors Siemens and Alstom, who appealed to Belgium’s Council of State. However, their objections were dismissed in September.
SNCB/NMBS had reaffirmed its preference for CAF in July, making CAF, officially known as Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, the preferred bidder.
