Middle East and African urban transport news
-
Metro Report InternationalLocal elections prompt flurry of Istanbul metro openings
TURKEY: Four extensions to existing metro lines have been opened in Istanbul to coincide with the municipal elections which took place at the end of March. On March 11, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan inaugurated a seven-station southern extension of line M3 from Kirazlı to Bakırköy Sahil on ...
-
Metro Report InternationalRail skills and innovation collaboration
UAE: A strategic partnership to develop rail sector skills and innovation in the UAE and the wider region has been agreed by Dubai metro and tram operator Keolis MHI and the UK’s University of Birmingham, which has a campus in Dubai. Students will be offered internships ...
-
Metro Report InternationalEasier ticket gates for Paris and Egypt
TICKETING: One of the 1 200 custom-designed ticket gates that Easier is supplying for the Grand Paris Express automated metro project was on show at the Transport Ticketing Global event in London. Sales Director Alain Combette told Metro Report International that the ...
-
-
Metro Report InternationalIstanbul’s Sirkeci – Kazlıçeşme ‘light rail’ line opens
TURKEY: A ‘light rail’ line on the alignment of the former railway to the historic Sirkeci station on the European side of Istanbul was opened by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan February 26. The Halkalı – Sirkeci section of line closed in August 2013 as part of ...
-
Metro Report InternationalIzmir metro extension opens
TURKEY: Passenger-carrying pre-operation started on the 6·5 km western extension of Izmir metro Line 1 from Fahrettin Altay to Sehitlik on February 24 with a ceremony attended by Izmir Mayor Tunç Soyer. Passengers can travel free of charge until April 15. A ...
-
Metro Report InternationalHaifa – Nazareth light rail contract winner announced
ISRAEL: The Ministry of Transport & Road Safety and project promoter Trans Israel have selected the Group Three consortium of Alstom, Electra and Minrav for a PPP contract to finance, design and construct the railway systems and rolling stock for the Nofit Light Rail line and ...
-
Metro Report InternationalBaghdad metro and Najaf – Karbala railway plans announced
IRAQ: The National Investment Commission has begun procurement for two contracts to design, finance, build, operate, maintain and transfer a seven-line metro network in Baghdad and a Najaf – Karbala railway. The US$2·5bn Baghdad metro plan envisages a seven-line network totalling 150 km and 64 stations ...
-
Metro Report Internationalİzmir opens third tram line
TURKEY: A 12 km long tram extension opened in İzmir’s Çiğli district on January 27 with a ceremony attended by Mayor Tunç Soyer. Services run in both directions around the ring, meeting at the northern terminus at Katip Çelebi Üniversitesi. The Çiğli tramway serves 14 stops ...
-
Metro Report InternationalDubai considers elevated pod platoons
UAE: Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority has signed a memorandum of understanding to work with Urban.MASS on an operational pilot of its Floc Duo Rail concept for platoons of driverless electric pods running on an elevated track. Urban.MASS is now seeking funding for development and deployment ...
-
Metro Report International‘Truly unique’ history-inspired tramway to be built in Saudi Arabia
SAUDI ARABIA: The Royal Commission for AlUla has awarded Alstom a €500m contract to supply a ‘truly unique’ tramway inspired by heritage including the historic Hedjaz Railway. Alstom said the 22·4 km line would be the world’s longest catenary-free tramway, and will ‘encapsulate richness, history and ...
-
Metro Report InternationalTel Aviv Green Line project reaches financial close
ISREAL: Financial close has been reached on the contract to design, build, finance and maintain the Tel Aviv light rail Green Line, project promoter NTA Metropolitan Mass Transit Systems and the TLV Metropolitan Tramway consortium announced on December 17. The European Investment Bank has agreed a ...
-
Metro Report InternationalParand metro extension inaugurated
IRAN: President Ebrahim Raisi inaugurated the Shahr-e Parand extension of a branch of Tehran metro Line 1 on November 30. Parand is a residential area with a population of 450 000, located 50 km southwest of central Tehran and 20 km west of Imam Khomeini International ...
-
Metro Report InternationalSiemens working on €1·3bn light rail scheme in Luanda
ANGOLA: Siemens Mobility has confirmed to Metro Report International that it is working with the Ministry of Transport on a light rail scheme in Luanda. The supplier said on November 30 that ‘the Presidential Dispatch 53/23, published on March 22 2023, is part of the procedure ...
-
Metro Report InternationalThales to supply signalling, security and ticketing for Alexandria metro
EGYPT: Thales has been subcontracted to supply signalling, security and ticketing systems for the first metro line in Alexandria. The 21·7 km line is being developed by a consortium of Orascom Construction and Colas Rail under a €1·3bn contract awarded by the National Authority for Tunnels ...
-
Metro Report InternationalMetro and monorail testing underway as Cairo network grows
EGYPT: Test running on Cairo’s East Nile Monorail and on two branches of metro Line 3 started on November 5. East Nile Monorail Following a site visit on November 16, Minister of Transport Kamel Al-Wazir announced that the East Nile Monorail line will be handed over ...
-
Metro Report InternationalIstanbul M8 passengers stay connected
TURKEY: Wireless networking technology company Rajant Corp and distribution partner AIRadio have rolled-out wi-fi access on Istanbul metro line M8 trains and at stations. The 14·3 km automated line linking Bostancı with Dudullu on the Anatolian side of Istanbul opened on January 6, and the wi-fi ...
-
Metro Report InternationalDubai invites expressions of interest for metro Blue Line
UAE: Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority has invited expressions of interest in a design and build contract covering civil works, railway systems and rolling stock for the planned metro Blue Line. Around 15·5 km of the 30 km line would be underground and 14·5 km elevated. ...
-
Metro Report InternationalAlexandria metro contract signed
EGYPT: The National Authority for Tunnels has awarded a consortium of Orascom Construction and Colas Rail a €1·3bn contract to build the first metro line in Alexandria. The contract covers engineering, procurement and construction of the 21·7 km first phase of the metro line, serving 20 stations. ...
-
Metro Report InternationalJ-Train consortium wins Jerusalem Blue Line tramway contract
ISRAEL: The city of Jerusalem and the national transport and finance ministries have selected the J-Train consortium for a PPP contract to finance, build, operate and maintain the light rail Blue Line. J-Train comprises bus operator Dan Bus, construction company Denya Cebus and Spain’s Comsa. The ...