Stadler Adjusts Aeroexpress Contracts
Following the oil and gas crisis in Russia and the decline of the rouble, Stadler Rail has adjusted the terms of a 2013 contract to supply 24 double-decker multiple unit trains to Russian rail company Aeroexpress, who have been in financial difficulty. Stadler’s tailored contract solution, intended to assist Aeroxpress, was reached in collusion with Swiss Export Risk Insurance and banks involved in financing.
The new contract relating to the delivery of KISS double-decker multiple-unit trains was presented by Alexey Krivoruchko, Executive Director of Aeroexpress, and Peter Spuhler, Group CEO and owner of Stadler. Under the new terms, Aeroexpress will take delivery of nine six-carriage and two four-carriage double-decker multiple-unit trains. This is a marked reduction from the original number of trains ordered in the original contract. It also extends the repayment period and allows for a period of grace. The financing plan is now guaranteed by the Swiss Export Risk Insurance and Gazprombank.
The trains will operate between Domodedovo Airport and Vnukovo International Airport to Moscow city centre, and will be delivered in time for the FIFA World Cup in Moscow.
Stadler has sold five of the remaining 13 four-carriage double-decker multiple-unit trains to Azerbaijan. A contract has been signed in Georgia relating to the sale of four additional double-decker multiple-unit trains. Stadler expects Aeroexpress will put the four remaining double-decker multiple-units trains into service for the FIFA World Cup in order to alleviate bottlenecks.
Peter Spuhler, Group CEO and owner of Stadler, said:
“This order is the largest one ever for us in Russia. We hope that this is just the beginning, and that we will be able to supply the Russian market with more comfortable passenger trains.”
Stadler’s double-decker multiple-unit trains are 3400mm wide and 5240mm high. They are designed to withstand the extreme weather conditions in Russia, where temperatures range from -50°C to +40°C. The trains have a maximum operating speed of 160km/h. They have a comfortable, welcoming interior design with business and economy classes. They are constructed of aluminium which makes them light-weight, and therefore highly energy efficient.
