DUTCH public transport operator Qbuzz has ordered 10 160km/h Civity EMUs from CAF for commuter services in South Holland province. This follows a seven-year extension of its operating concession by South Holland Provincial Authority (SHPA).
The value of the contract, that also includes spare/replacement parts for the trains, has not been disclosed, but SHPA will contribute up to €13.8m over the length of the extended concession and has underwritten the order with CAF.
The three-car, 60m-long trains are due for delivery in 2028 and will be equipped with ETCS. They will have capacity for around 350 passengers, are fully accessible and will be fitted with bike racks.
The new fleet will be deployed on the Merwedelinge Line between Dordrecht and Geldermalsen, the operating concession for which was awarded to Qbuzz by SHPA in 2018 and was originally due to terminate in December 2026. The authority has now extended that concession by seven years to 2033.
Qbuzz will replace the 10 Stadler GTW 2/6 and 2/8 EMUs currently operating these services as they are not equipped with ERTMS, which is scheduled to be installed on parts of the line by 2027. SHPA has committed €12m towards premature depreciation of the GTW units.
Qbuzz, a subsidiary of Italian State Railways (FS), also operates in and around Groningen-Drenthe, Utrecht and Rotterdam, carrying approximately 350,000 passengers every day.
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