Mexico Awards Alstom MX$20.1 Billion Contract for 47 Trains

Mexico’s federal government has awarded Alstom Ferroviaria México a MX$20.17 billion (US$1.11 billion) contract to supply 47 diesel multiple unit (DMU) passenger trains for the Mexico City-Queretaro, Queretaro-Irapuato, and Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo rail corridors, according to official tender documents published on ComprasMX.

The award was granted through an International Open Electronic Public Tender overseen by the Railway Transportation Regulatory Agency (ARTF) under tender number LA-09-D00-009D00999-I-53-2025.

Scope of the Contract

According to the tender documents, the procurement covers the design, manufacture, testing, commissioning, and maintenance of the rolling stock, as well as the equipment of inspection and maintenance facilities required for long-term operation.

The contract includes: 

• 14 DMU trains for short-distance services

• 33 DMU trains for long-distance services

• ERTMS Level 2 signaling systems

• Equipment for inspection, refueling, and control zones

• Maintenance workshops in Garcia (Nuevo Leon) and Vaquerado

• A five-year integral maintenance service for the full fleet

Supply and infrastructure components account for approximately 93% of the total contract value, while long-term maintenance represents the remaining 7%, as specified in the technical scope.

Evaluation Process and Award Decision

The tender followed a points-and-percentages evaluation system, with proposals assessed on technical merit (65%) and economic criteria (35%). Only bidders exceeding the minimum technical threshold advanced to the economic evaluation stage.

Following this process, Alstom’s proposal was deemed the most advantageous overall, meeting all legal, technical, and financial requirements established in the tender.

The award resolution was issued after the final evaluation stage, confirming Alstom as the winning bidder following the presentation and opening of proposals on Nov. 13, 2025, and the final ruling on Nov. 24, 2025.

Competing Bidders

The tender attracted major international rail manufacturers. Proposals were submitted by:

• Alstom Ferroviaria México, S.A. de C.V.

• CAF México, S.A. de C.V.

• CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co. LTD / CRRC Zhuzhou Transportation Equipment Co., S. de R.L. de C.V.

The MX$20.17 billion (US$1.11 billion) award forms part of Mexico’s multi-year strategy to restore intercity passenger rail, with funding allocated across fiscal years 2025–2032 under the federal budget line 54401-Railway Equipment. The three corridors covered by the contract are considered priority routes due to their industrial density, population concentration, and cross-border connectivity, particularly the Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo segment linking northern Mexico to the US market

The award further strengthens Alstom’s presence in Mexico’s passenger rail sector. In 2021, the company won the contract to supply rolling stock for the Mayan Train, one of the country’s largest rail infrastructure projects, as previously reported by MBN.