Alstom is manufacturing 35 additional X80 regional trains for Swedish operator Västtrafik under an expanded order valued at 350 million euros, zdopravy.cz reported. The regional transport company, owned by Västra Götaland and local municipalities, originally ordered 40 units in 2018 with an option for up to 100 trains total. Ten of the units have been operating between Gothenburg and Örebro since this spring.
Production at Hennigsdorf and Regional Specifications
Several X80 units are currently in various phases of production at Alstom’s plant in Hennigsdorf near Berlin, zdopravy.cz reported. Although Alstom classifies the X80 under its Avelia Stream Nordic high-speed family capable of up to 320 km/h, the Swedish variants have a capped maximum speed of 200 km/h. The trains are built to handle extreme Nordic conditions, featuring a snowplow beneath the train nose designed to clear up to 80-centimeter drifts and insulation rated for temperatures plunging to -40°C.
Wide Train Bodies Increase Passenger Capacity
The trains weigh 174 tons and measure 80 meters long across four cars, boasting an unusually wide body profile of 3.4 meters. Because Swedish and Norwegian infrastructure guidelines allow for wider loading gauges in curves, these vehicles can handle sharp turns without reducing physical car width, according to zdopravy.cz. This generous clearance permits a 3+2 seating layout akin to Finnish wide-gauge trains, bringing total passenger capacity to 590 with 270 fixed seats. The middle car sits lower to ease boarding for cyclists, while housing priority seats for disabled passengers and an oversized restroom.
Swedish Rolling Stock Expansion Timeline
Västtrafik holds options for up to 100 total units under the framework agreement signed six years ago.
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