Russia: Information published following a meeting of the board of directors of Federal Passenger Company (FPC, a subsidiary of Russian Railways) reveals that the operator has provisionally approved a deal with the the TMH plant in Tver for the supply of up to 2,719 coaches at a ceiling price of RUB 411.3 bln ($5.3 bln) excluding VAT.
Deliveries are scheduled for 2026-30, with the contract encompassing coaches from the 2018, 2019, and 2023 model ranges, plus the development and delivery of batches of new-generation 2025 and 2026 models. All coaches will conform to the T loading gauge. Technical details of the coaches yet to be developed have not been disclosed.
The firm portion of the order will cover up to 1,926 coaches, with an option for a further 793 units. The contract will incorporate quarterly price indexation based on a composite index.
The previous long-term contract between FPC and the plant ran between 2019 and 2025. Under it, new generations of single- and double-deck coaches were supplied. A key innovation was the introduction of single-deck coaches in the new T loading gauge for this rolling stock.
This new contract has been under discussion for some time, and its signing will depend on financial capacity. One limiting factor is the high key rate set by the Central Bank of Russia. Meanwhile, TMH—from 2024 and factoring in prospects from this contract—has been implementing a major investment project to expand production capacity in Tver, financed in part by a concessional loan from VEB.RF under the cluster investment platform mechanism.
