Bombardier has been awarded a variation order from the Chinese Ministry of Railways for a new fleet of high-speed trains.
The company’s Chinese joint venture, Bombardier Sifang Transportation, has now received an order for 70 eight-car Bombardier Zefiro 380 trains, 46 Zefiro 250 stainless steel trains and 60 Zefiro 250NG trains.
An order for 80 high-speed trains worth 1.3 billion euros was agreed in 2009.
Bombardier has said the original contract value remains unchanged.
The Zefiro 250 train is already operating in China, with an existing fleet of 115 trains, 1,200 cars, serving the country’s rail network.
The Zefiro 250NG is a newly developed product, which includes a new aluminium carbody as well as an enhanced propulsion system.
Anders Lindberg, president of mainline and metros at Bombardier Transportation, said: “This variation order supports the global strategic shift towards rail as the backbone of national transportation infrastructure. Our Zefiro family of high speed trains plays a crucial role in China’s development of a fully interconnected transport system that eases congestion and boosts the economy.”
Jianwei Zhang, president of Bombardier China, added: “China has a clear vision of the role the world’s largest high-speed rail network will play in supporting sustainable transportation for the 21st century.
“The country is selecting the most advanced technologies to build a network that offers not only high speed but also unprecedented operating efficiency, reliability and capacity.”
