Saudi Arabia to operate first passenger hydrogen train demo in October

Coradia iLint train

Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR), in partnership with France’s Alstom, will operate and demonstrate the world's first hydrogen-powered train in Riyadh in October. 

The Coradia iLint train will embark on a first-ever journey in the Kingdom, travelling 10 to 20 kilometres on Riyadh's East Network's Line 1 or Line 2, Alstom, a sustainable mobility provider, said in a statement. 

The Coradia iLint is the world's first passenger train powered by hydrogen fuel cells that generate electrical energy for propulsion. 

Last year, the train travelled 1,175 km without refuelling its hydrogen tanks. This first zero direct CO2 emission train is quiet and emits only water during operation, and features several innovations: clean energy conversion, flexible energy storage and smart management of the traction power and available energy.

Alstom developed hydrogen traction solutions across multiple platforms and has signed several contracts for hydrogen fuel cell-powered trains. The first two fleets started commercial passenger service in Germany in 2022. 

According to data available on Argaam, SAR inked an agreement with Alstom to conduct the hydrogen train tests in October for the first time in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region.