MADRID: Saudi Arabia has ordered 20 new high-speed trains ‍from Spain's ‍Talgo SA, the company and Spain's ​transport minister said on Sunday.

In a statement, Talgo ⁠said the deal adds 1.33 billion euros ($1.57 billion) ⁠to its order ‌backlog, bringing it to a total of nearly 6 billion euros, a ⁠record. The contract also covers maintenance for the trains.

The agreement is a boost for the Spanish rail sector, which has taken ⁠a heavy hit to ​its reputation in the wake of a train collision near ‍Cordoba last month that killed 46 people. The accident ​raised questions over whether investment to maintain the network is keeping pace with surging passenger demand.

Transport Minister Oscar Puente lauded the deal in a post on X.

"We guarantee the continuity of (state rail company) @Renfe as manager of Saudi high-speed rail until 2038 and the purchase of 20 new trains ⁠from @TalgoGroup with an injection ‌of more than 2.8 billion euros for our companies," he wrote.

Saudi Arabia's rail system ‌has been ⁠operating Talgo trains since 2018. ($1 = 0.8463 euros) (Reporting by Graham ⁠Keeley; Editing by Joe Bavier)