France's SNCF awards ALSTOM a major contract for double
deck regional trains

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The French National Railways (SNCF) has notified ALSTOM of
its decision to order 203 new generation, EMU double-deck cars
for use as regional express trains known as TER fleets. The
contract is worth a total of 420 million euros.

This first firm order comes within the framework of an
investment programme for 629 new cars, to be carried out over
several years and financed by regional authorities. The new
distributed power vehicle, part of the CORADIA DUPLEX
product family, can operate at up to 160km/hour. The order
calls for 72 trainsets, composed of 2 to 5 cars, according to
service requirements. The number of seated places will be 220
in the 2-car version, and 576 in the 5-car version. First
deliveries will begin in December 2003.

These trainsets are destined to reinforce the operator's
service around major regional metropolitan areas, offering
passengers high quality, fast, comfortable and safe rail travel
conditions.

Luxembourg Railways (CFL) also has an option to purchase a
certain number of trainsets for its own needs, as well as for
cross-border service.

ANF Industries (Bombardier) will also participate in the
manufacture of these trains.

This order from the SNCF and the Regions of France further
confirms the success of the double-deck rolling stock concept
developed by ALSTOM and strengthens the Company's position as
the leading supplier of rolling stock for inter-city and
regional passenger transport.

ALSTOM is the global specialist in energy and transport
infrastructure. The company serves the energy market through
its activities in the fields of power generation, power
transmission and distribution, power conversion and electrical
contracting and the transport market through its activities in
rail and marine. Following the full integration of the power
generation activities, ALSTOM today has annual sales in excess
of 20 billion euros and employs more than 140,000 people in
over 70 countries.

ALSTOM Transport, with sales of over 4 billion euros and a
near 20% market share, is a leading supplier of rolling stock,
signaling, services and railway systems to the rail industry
world-wide.

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