Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has engaged Swiss design firm Nose Design Experience to develop its new inter-city trainsets. This collaboration follows SAR’s February 2024 agreement with Stadler, valued at SFr600m, to provide and maintain 10 trainsets for the East line connecting Riyadh and Dammam, with an option for 10 additional units.
Nose Design will handle both the interior and exterior design, partnering with Stadler engineers at their Bussnang facility to adhere to technical specifications. Their goal is to create “a seamless blend of modern aesthetics and advanced technology” that embodies SAR’s brand, Saudi Arabia’s cultural heritage, and SAR’s ambition to lead in transport and logistics.
The trainsets, each 175 meters long, will accommodate approximately 320 passengers and feature two independent diesel-electric power cars that comply with European Stage V emission standards.
Nose Design has a history of collaboration with Stadler, contributing to projects such as Mika EMUs for BLS, Orion EMUs for MGB, Flirt Nordic Express for Norway, and the Tina tram series.