The largest railway agreements of 2023

The railway sector in 2023 witnessed substantial investments and contracts, as reported by the Railway Supply news portal, citing Railway Technology.

At the end of the year, the editorial team reviewed the major agreements in the field of railway technologies in 2023.

They observed railway companies and manufacturers expanding their market and offering products.

Over the past year, the railway sector demonstrated significant progress in recovery from setbacks related to Covid-19 and secured deals worth billions of dollars.

Siemens Mobility secures a €3 billion contract for locomotives in India.

At the beginning of the year, Siemens Mobility signed the “largest” contract with Indian Railways in an agreement aimed at boosting freight transport in the region. The extensive deal with Indian Railways covered the supply of 1200 fully serviced freight electric locomotives over 35 years.

National Express secures a €1 billion railway contract in Germany.

Following a successful start, National Express Rail GmbH obtained a €1 billion contract for railway transport in Germany, making the company the second-largest railway transport company in the region. The contract allowed National Express to operate on the RE1 and RE11 Rhein-Ruhr-Express (RRX) lines until 2033.

Škoda Group signed a €732 million contract with Trenitalia.

This agreement allowed the Czech manufacturer to expand its offerings in the Italian market, where it participated for the first time in October 2022. The contract involved the production of 370 new railway wagons servicing the Milan-Palermo-Siracusa line.

Škoda signed a €1 billion contract with the Egyptian National Railway.

Mid-year, this agreement marked Škoda’s first expansion into Africa to enhance the quality of the railway sector. Škoda signed contracts totaling over €1 billion for servicing and modernizing more than 280 locomotives.

Seatfrog secures £6 million in investments.

The railway ticket sales startup received £6 million to advance to the next stage of its business plan. The funding round will support Seatfrog’s expansion in Europe. In 2022, the company achieved revenue growth of over 800%.

Siemens Mobility signs a €5 billion contract for Mireo trains with ÖBB.

Siemens and ÖBB signed a significant framework contract worth €5 billion for the supply of up to 540 single-deck electric multiple-unit trains.

Colombia: Contract signed for the central freight route.

The contract covered conditions for technical maintenance and modernization of the 522-kilometer La Dorada – Chiriguaná line. A one-year agreement with a contract value of 71.7 billion pesos (18 million dollars).

MSC intends to acquire 50% of Italo.

This agreement signaled the shipping giants’ effort to maintain ties with Italy. The agreement aims to create sustainable transportation. MSC announced a binding agreement to acquire 50% of the shares of the railway company Italo – Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori (Italo). The agreement reportedly values Italo at €4.2 billion (€4.4 billion).

DB sells Arriva Group to the American asset management company.

In a recent agreement, Deutsche Bahn (DB) expressed its growth ambitions throughout Germany. At a cost of approximately €1.68 billion, DB agreed to sell its subsidiary Arriva Group to the American infrastructure asset management company I Squared Capital.

The agreement is part of DB’s Strong Rail Group strategy, aimed at strengthening internal railway activities by reducing foreign interests and investments.

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