Siemens Mobility is set to supply and maintain three American Pioneer 220 (AP220) trainsets for the California High Speed Rail project’s Initial Operating Section between Bakersfield and Merced. The California High Speed Rail Authority plans to approve a $281.7 million contract award to Siemens Mobility at its board meeting on October 28, 2026. Alongside the trainset supply contract, a $284.1 million maintenance and full service agreement covering 2030 to 2040, plus a $206.3 million provision for testing, cost escalation, currency fluctuations, taxes, and related expenses are included in the planned approvals.
Train Manufacturing and Design Specifications
The AP220 trainsets belong to Siemens Mobility’s Velaro Novo
family and will be manufactured in Germany, following the dropping of federal Buy American requirements in August 2026. These aluminium-bodied trains are designed to meet U.S. federal Tier III crash and fire safety regulations for operations above 200 km/h (124 mph). Each seven-car trainset offers a top speed of 354 km/h (220 mph) and is built to handle California’s diverse terrain, including long climbs, tunnels, and altitudes up to 1,400 meters. They feature 8.2 MW distributed power with onboard batteries to provide emergency propulsion and maintain air conditioning during overhead power supply failures. The trainsets can be operated in pairs
to increase capacity.
Project Timeline and Contract Options
Trainset delivery is scheduled to begin at the end of 2029, allowing testing to start in spring 2030. This schedule supports the opening of the 275-kilometer Initial Operating Section between Bakersfield and Merced, anticipated between 2033 and 2034. The contract includes options to order up to 19 additional trainsets at $62.1 million each. The maintenance agreement spans 10 years with monthly payments based on availability and reliability metrics, and it includes options for three extensions of five years each, potentially extending the contract to 30 years.
Seating Capacity and Interior Features
Each trainset measures 202 meters in length and contains at least
450 reclining seats arranged in a 2+2 configuration with a 990 mm pitch between rows. All seats have power and USB-C outlets. Every coach is equipped with an accessible toilet. The interior design accommodates future modifications such as alternative seating arrangements, family and bicycle areas, and food service zones. Cost control is enforced through the use of Siemens Mobility’s standard configurations, with customization limited mainly to exterior livery, colors, and some materials.
In a related development, Siemens Mobility was selected in May 2024 to supply and maintain 10 seven-car AP220 trainsets for the Brightline West project, which will build a
351-kilometer high-speed rail line connecting Las Vegas with Rancho Cucamonga, California, east of Los Angeles.
