France’s national rail operator, SNCF, has exercised an option for 40 double-deck Bombardier Omneo trains for Normandy.
SNCF has now ordered 253 under a framework order placed in 2010 for up to 860 Omneo units for the French regions.
This latest order has been valued at €585 million. The new trains will include modern features such as Wi-Fi and USB charging sockets, in addition to standard power points.
Built at Bombardier’s Crespin site in Northern France, the trains, which can seat 470 passengers, will increase capacity on the Paris-Rouen-le Havre and Paris-Caen-Cherbourg lines by 20 per cent.
SNCF will introduce the new trains into service at the end of 2019, with the final train due to be delivered in 2021.
