High speed: ALSTOM and ANSALDO BREDA (FINMECCANICA) signed
a strategic partnership

ALSTOM and Ansaldo Breda, a Finmeccanica Group company, have
signed a strategic and industrial partnership for the
engineering, production and marketing of single deck high-speed
trains. This agreement covers both very high-speed trains (more
than 300 km/h), and high speed trains (up to 250 km/h), meeting
the new European standards for interoperability.

In the very high-speed segment, it includes the articulated
AGV a new innovative train under development, based on ALSTOM
technological platform for interregional links on very high-speed
lines. The TGV* Duplex (double deck) is not part of this
agreement.  In the high speed segment, the agreement
includes the new PENDOLINO, a tilting train produced by ALSTOM,
which can run at high speed in curves on conventional tracks, and
the AnsaldoBreda train Holland-Belgium. All the trains both for
ALSTOM and AnsaldoBreda will meet the new European
Interperability standards.

This partnership, which brings together the most important
companies in high-speed train travel, will explore international
business opportunities, offering a complete product portfolio and
a high level of technology that can compete on all markets.

. The trains will be produced in the factories of both
partners. In Italy, the sites involved are Savigliano and Sesto
for ALSTOM, and Pistoia and Naples for AnsaldoBreda. In France,
the ALSTOM industrial sites of La Rochelle, Le Creusot and Tarbes
are also involved in this co-operation. The first joint new
products resulting from this strategic partnership between ALSTOM
and AnsaldoBreda will be ready for commissioning early 2009.

With this agreement Giorgio Zappa, General Manager of
Finmeccanica, declared - AnsaldoBreda reinforces its presence in
a high value market in strong expansion. It will also consolidate
its business, by exploiting the technological capabilities,
developed in more than 100 year of activities world-wide. This
co-operation will also have a relevant impact on the future
development programs of Italian railways.

 Thanks to this co-operation - ALSTOM Transport
President Philippe Mellier stated - ALSTOM intends to strengthen
its leadership in the high speed and very high speed segments.
Our company contributed to the history of high speed, since the
first TGV* in 1981. Our challenge is to face up together with our
partners a market rich in opportunities and rapidly meet the
clients demands.

This agreement is highly relevant considering that the rolling
stock market, on the high-speed segment, is expected to grow
strongly thanks to the considerable investments foreseen in the
main countries interested in high-speed connections. Between 2000
and 2004, the worlds high speed & very high speed
train market (excluding Japan) was worth on average 1.6 billion
Euro per year. It is expected to grow by close to 50% up  to
2008.

*TGV is an SNCF trademark

Press information :

Susanne Trabitzsch

Tél. + 33 (0) 1 41 66 97 16

susanne.trabitzsch@transport.alstom.com