Italian state train operator Trenitalia has been operating Frecciarossa 1000 very-high-speed trains since 2015.
Now it has ordered 23 more from manufacturers Hitachi Rail and Bombardier Transportation, but this time for its new Intermodalidad de Levante (ILSA) rail operation in Spain – a joint venture with Operador Ferroviario de Levante SL.
The contract value is €797 million, split approximately 60 per cent to Hitachi and 40 per cent to Bombardier.
“The ETR1000 train, widely known commercially as the Frecciarossa (Red Arrow) 1000, has transformed passenger transport on high-speed lines in Italy, setting the standard and becoming the fastest and most admired train in Europe. It is a platform that we are very proud of and is proof of our continuous and positive collaboration with Trenitalia to the benefit of passengers and society in terms of comfort, sustainability, style, performance and low noise.
“We look forward to bringing the same advantages to Spain, and to contribute to the development program of high-speed railway services in this country with these new services,” said Andrew Barr, Group CEO, Hitachi Rail.
Franco Beretta, president and managing director of Bombardier Transportation Italy, added: “The Frecciarossa 1000 very high-speed train has been chosen for the new ILSA franchise in Spain to enrich the travel experience for passengers, thanks to its high levels of comfort and reliability. With cutting-edge train control and propulsion technologies deriving from the V300ZEFIRO platform, these fast and quiet trains are already very popular with long-distance travellers in Italy.
“The liberalisation of Europe’s railways enables ILSA to offer new rail services in Spain to encourage even more passengers to shift their journeys from cars and planes to trains, contributing towards global sustainability goals.”
The Frecciarossa 1000 is the fastest and quietest very high-speed train in Europe. The 23 new trains for ILSA will be designed and built by Hitachi Rail and Bombardier in Italy. Each train will be approximately 200 metres long with capacity for around 460 passengers and capable of commercial speeds of up to 360 kph. State-of-the-art aerodynamics and energy saving technologies give the train unmatched operating efficiency.
Once onboard, passengers will be able to enjoy WiFi, a bistro area and high levels of comfort in all classes. The trains are operable on high-speed rail networks equipped with multi-voltage technology fulfilling all TSI requirements. Since their introduction in Italy in 2015, the Frecciarossa 1000 very high-speed trains have set enviable standards of performance, operating efficiency and passenger comfort.
ILSA has been selected by Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (the company that runs Spain’s rail infrastructure) as the first private operator to be granted access to the Spanish rail market. From 2022, ILSA will run high-speed services on the Madrid-Barcelona, Madrid-ValenciaAlicante and Madrid-Seville/Malaga lines.
