Saudi Arabia has ordered 20 new high-speed trains from Spain’s Talgo, in a deal that will add €1.33 billion to the company’s order backlog and extend its role on the Haramain High Speed Railway, the company and Spain’s transport minister said on Sunday.
Talgo said the contract brings its total order book to nearly €6 billion, a record for the company, and includes both the manufacture of the trains and their long-term maintenance. The new trains will operate on the high-speed line linking Mecca, Medina and Jeddah, which has used Talgo rolling stock since entering service in 2018.
Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente welcomed the agreement in a post on X (see below), highlighting its significance for Spanish industry.
‘We guarantee the continuity of [Spain’s national rail operator] RENFE as manager of Saudi high-speed rail until 2038 and the purchase of 20 new trains from the Talgo Group with an injection of more than 2.8 billion euros for our companies,’ he wrote.
The deal comes at a sensitive moment for Spain’s rail sector, which has faced scrutiny following a deadly train collision near Córdoba last month that killed 46 people and raised questions over whether investment in network maintenance is keeping pace with rising passenger demand. ALSO READ: Spain’s train crash victims mourned as families call for truth and justice.
A three-day rail strike called by Spain’s train drivers’ union is also currently underway from 9-11 February. ALSO READ: RENFE to cancel 955 trains as three-day strike in February looks set to go ahead.
According to Talgo, the 20 new trains will be supplied to Saudi Arabia Railways and will have specifications equivalent to the 35 Talgo trains already operating on the route. Each train will consist of two power cars and 13 passenger coaches, offering a total capacity of 417 seats across two classes, as well as dedicated spaces for catering services and passengers with reduced mobility.
Talgo’s trains currently operate at a maximum commercial speed of 300 km/h on the 450-kilometre Haramain line, which is built and run to standards comparable to Spain’s high-speed rail network.
On a typical day, more than 100 services run on the line, rising to over 140 daily services during the annual Hajj pilgrimage. In 2025 alone, nearly two million passengers were transported during the Hajj period.
As part of its maintenance responsibilities, Talgo operates two maintenance facilities in Saudi Arabia, employing more than 270 people.
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Importante acuerdo con Arabia Saudí. Garantizamos la continuidad de @Renfe como gestor de la alta velocidad Saudí hasta 2038 y la compra de 20 nuevos trenes a @TalgoGroup con una inyección de más de 2.800 M€ para nuestras empresas.
— Óscar Puente (@oscar_puente_) February 8, 2026
Una muestra importante de confianza en nuestro… pic.twitter.com/fCAMvMph3n
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