Brazil's Metrô-DF Launches $195m Tender for 15 Electric Trains in Brasília

Brazil's Federal District government launched a tender on July 6 for 15 electric trains for Brasília's Metrô-DF, with the contract valued at approximately $195m (BRL 1bn).

The procurement represents one of the largest metro fleet orders in Brazil in recent years. The tender is open to international manufacturers, creating a competitive opportunity for European, Asian and North American rolling stock suppliers in the South American market. Metrô-DF operates the capital's metro system, which serves the Federal District's urban core.

The tender specifies electric multiple units (EMUs — self-propelled passenger trains drawing power from overhead lines or third rail). The 15 trainsets are specified as four-car EMUs in an A+B+B+A configuration. No delivery timeline has been disclosed in the initial tender documents. Bids are due by September 15, 2026, at 10:00 BRT.

Brasília's metro network has faced capacity constraints as the Federal District's population has grown. The 15-train order would expand the existing fleet, though the current fleet size and the planned service expansion have not been detailed in the tender announcement. The procurement follows a pattern of Latin American metro operators seeking to modernize and expand fleets through international competitive bidding.