Philippines orders 240 Japanese train cars for first Manila subway

Sumitomo and JR East's $556m contract follows 2019 commuter rail deal

Manila plans to add its first subway as well as a commuter line to ease transit congestion in the capital region. © Reuters

KATSUYA MIYAKAWA, Nikkei staff writer

December 22, 2020 03:41 JST

TOKYO -- Japanese trading house Sumitomo Corp. and an East Japan Railway unit announced Monday that they won a 57.5 billion yen ($556 million) order for train cars that will serve Manila's first-ever subway system.

Sumitomo and JR East subsidiary Japan Transport Engineering signed the contract on Dec. 15, according to the news release. The order covers 240 subway cars, with the final delivery date set for March 2027.