CAF entra en la puja por el gran pedido de 100 trenes de Escocia
Reino Unido afronta una profunda modernización de sus ferrocarriles. Escocia, en particular, con su propia red de trenes, quiere liderar ese desafío con una fuerte inversión en infraestructuras y material rodante. Leer
The United Kingdom is undergoing a major upgrade of its railways. Scotland, with its own train network, aims to lead this challenge by investing heavily in infrastructure and rolling stock. As part of a £5 billion investment plan until 2029, ScotRail, the Scottish railway operator, has shortlisted a few European manufacturers to purchase a new fleet of up to 106 units, equipped with the latest signaling technology, onboard entertainment, and high power.
Among the chosen manufacturers is Spain's CAF, which is competing for the €500 million contract alongside giants Alstom, Siemens, Hitachi, and Stadler. According to ScotRail, the new trains are set to enter service in the East Kilbride, Fife, Borders, and Glasgow city center suburban lines at the beginning of the next decade. These trains will bring significant environmental benefits by replacing existing diesel trains, supporting the transition to a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable railway through the replacement of diesel trains.
The acquisition includes design, manufacturing, testing, certification, launch, and delivery of the trains, as well as long-term technical support and long-term spare parts agreements to facilitate their introduction and operation. The vehicles will be equipped with air conditioning, Wi-Fi connectivity, and real-time passenger information.
Additionally, the compositions will improve accessibility by reducing the distance between platform and train. ScotRail launched a search for financing options for the new fleet in February 2026, with the planned model being to finance the construction and delivery of the trains and then enter into a leasing of rolling stock when they start operating.
In January 2026, Scottish railways selected Hitachi technology for the supply of high-speed units connecting Glasgow and Edinburgh in a €500 million deal. CAF has a plant in Newport, Wales, with 200 employees. In 2015, CAF signed an agreement with Serco to manufacture 75 cars, forming five different classes for four 16-car trains for the Caledonian Sleeper franchise, operating high and lowland services in Scotland.
By the end of 2025, CAF stated it aimed for contracts in the UK worth £4.5 billion, such as the TransPennine service connecting northern England and Scotland, Southeastern connecting London with southeast England, and Northern in northern England.
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