The FCH2RAIL hydrogen train project, led by CAF, completes its testing phase on the Portuguese stretch of rail.

The hydrogen train prototype developed in the European project FCH2RAIL - Fuel Cell Hybrid Power Pack for Rail Applications - has successfully completed its tests in Portugal. Between 3 and 6 April, the hydrogen train ran on the Minho line, between the stations of Valença and Nueve, becoming the first hydrogen train in Portugal. As a result, FCH2RAIL has been authorised to operate the trains in the country.

To carry out these tests, a special permission to operate was issued by Infraestruturas de Portugal in December 2023, establishing the conditions for the train to run on the Portuguese rail network during the testing phase. The tests carried out in Portugal are part of the extended testing campaign started in May 2023 on the Spanish rail network. Now, after the tests in Portugal, the train has already travelled more than 8,500 km in hydrogen mode.

The hydrogen train is part of the FCH2RAIL consortium, a project that started in early 2021 and is scheduled to run until the end of 2024. The consortium partners include the Spanish companies Renfe Operadora, Adif, CAF and the Centro Nacional de Hidrógeno / National Hydrogen Centre; the Portuguese company IP (Infraestructuras de Portugal); the German companies DLR and STT; and Toyota Motor Europe (TME), which is providing the fuel cell integration service.

Source: Hidrógeno Verde