ALSTOM to supply new trains and services in
Australia

Australia's State of Victoria Government has awarded
Melbourne's Hillside Train franchise to CGEA's subsidiary,
MELBOURNE TRANSPORT ENTERPRISES (MTE). As a partner of CGEA
Transport Asia Pacific Ltd., ALSTOM will supply and maintain 29
new six-car X'TRAPOLIS suburban trains, maintain the existing
fleet of 74 trains, 45 of which will be renovated, and assume
responsibility to manage the entire infrastructure associated
with the Hillside network. ALSTOM will upgrade the Hillside
network signaling system in the early period of this franchise.
These projects will run over a period of 15 years and the total
value for ALSTOM is A$ 1.4 billion (some 900 million
euros).

Commenting on what is the most significant order to date for
ALSTOM in Australia, Michel Moreau, President of ALSTOM's
Transport Sector, said: 'Long term service provision is a most
important growth vector for our company. I am therefore
delighted that we have been successful in this bid. Moreover,
this is an important step forward in Australia, where we have
significant prospects.'

The new modular X'TRAPOLIS suburban electric trains will
include a high Australian content and will integrate ALSTOM's
world-proven ONIX traction technology. The trains will have
enhanced passenger information systems and closed circuit
TV.

The Hillside network is composed of six passenger lines in
Melbourne's eastern and north-eastern suburbs. The network
consists of 240 km of track, 176 bridges, 90 railway stations
and carries some 51 million passengers per year.