Alstom celebrates Coradia Polyvalent’s first journey in Senegal with APIX

14 January 2019 – Alstom and APIX, the agency responsible for the promotion of investment and major works celebrated today in Dakar the first voyage of the Coradia Polyvalent train for Senegal. The event took place in the presence of His Excellency Macky Sall, the President of Senegal, and Raphael Bernadelli, Managing Director for Central and North Africa at Alstom.

In 2016, after an international tender process, APIX awarded Alstom a contract for the supply of 15 regional trains. The first Coradia train for Senegal was successfully received by the customer last September at the Alstom site in Reichshoffen, France, where it is manufactured. Since then, three trains have already arrived in Dakar. The trains will run on the new line linking the centre of Dakar to Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD) in Diass. They will serve 14 stations over a distance of 55 km, covered in 45 minutes. The number of passengers is estimated at 115,000 per day.

"We are honoured to participate today in the inauguration of this first Coradia Polyvalent train for Senegal. Thanks to the confidence of our customer APIX and the contribution of all Alstom employees, we are proud to place Dakar among the first cities in Africa to acquire such transport technology and thus provide passengers in this country with a safe, reliable and environmentally friendly mobility solution," says Raphaël Bernardelli.

The Coradia Polyvalent train for Senegal is dual-mode electric and diesel and can travel at speeds of 160 km/h. The train is 72 metres long in total and consists of four cars, providing the capacity for 400 passengers, and includes a first and second class. The passenger is of primary concern for the Coradia Polyvalent trains for Senegal, designed to meet Dakar’s growing mobility needs. Suited to the climatic and environmental conditions of the country, they are equipped with a highly efficient air conditioning system, and their low floor facilitates access and movement on board, in particular for passengers with reduced mobility.

Coradia Polyvalent belongs to Alstom’s Coradia range of modular trains, which has sold more than 2,800 trains to date with nearly 2,300 currently in circulation, and benefits from over 30 years of expertise and proven technical solutions.