Alstom's plant in Taubate, located in the Paraiba Valley of interior Sao Paulo, has become a hub for rolling-stock production after a five-year, 130-million-real investment. The money was directed at expanding capacity to build both suburban and metro trains, moving away from the light-rail vehicles (VLT) that the firm previously supplied for Rio de Janeiro's Olympic legacy. According to Suely Sola, Alstom Brazil's general director, the factory has delivered more than 170 trains—equivalent to 940 passenger cars—in the last three years, serving domestic projects and clients in Chile, Romania and Taiwan.
Growth and employment
The expansion has generated roughly 5,000 jobs and involved 120 local suppliers. Sola said that producing for foreign markets is a matter of survival for the railway sector, noting that reliance on the domestic market alone would have doomed many competitors that entered Brazil only to leave later. She emphasized that the company's ability to export signalling knowledge and technical expertise has helped it weather the industry's cyclical downturns.
Line 6-Orange progress
For Sao Paulo's Line 6-Orange, Alstom has supplied 14 of the 22 trains stipulated in the contract, with the most recent unit delivered on Friday, August 14. Each train can carry up to 2,044 passengers and reaches a top speed of 80 km/h, enabling two-minute headways during peak periods. Sola explained that four trains are currently in operation—two active and two on standby—and that the company expects to have 11 trains in service by September, with the remainder delivered by year's end.
Ridership and impact
The first phase of Line 6-Orange, comprising eight stations, was originally slated to open in October but six stations were inaugurated ahead of schedule on July 2. Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans) attended the ceremony, which was permitted under electoral law. When fully operational, the line is projected to transport about 633,000 passengers daily and cut travel time between the Brasilandia and Sao Joaquim stations from 90 minutes to 23 minutes.
According to the concessionaria Linha Uni, which builds and operates the line, 42,239 passengers rode the line between July 3 and July 31, an average of 2,223 per day. The busiest station was Joao Paulo 1º in the Brasilandia neighbourhood, averaging 10,861 daily boardings, followed by Sesc-Pompeia (7,398), Agua Branca (6,717), Freguesia do Ó (6,373), Santa Marina (5,729) and Perdizes (5,161).
Industry outlook
The Brazilian Railway Industry Association (Abifer) forecasts that domestic manufacturers will produce 72 locomotives, 1,900 freight wagons and 193 passenger cars in 2026, up from 66 locomotives, 1,700 wagons and 122 passenger cars in 2025. Abifer members stress that output could be higher if they faced equal conditions against Chinese competitors, a point echoed by Sola, who called for a "level playing field" for all participants in the sector.
Contextual notes
- Alstom is a French multinational specializing in railway rolling stock, signalling and mobility solutions.
- Line 6-Orange is a 15.3-kilometre metro line with 15 planned stations serving the northern and western zones of Sao Paulo.
- The Brazilian real (BRL) figures are presented without conversion; approximate USD equivalents can be derived from market rates at the time of publication.
All facts are drawn from the Folha de S.Paulo report published on August 15, 2026.