Rail 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.
Moskva-2024 metro train enters service
RUSSIA: Moskva Metro put the first Moskva-2024 series trainset into service on March 11 as part of a three-year renewal of the Line 2 fleet.
Stockholm metro trains ordered
SWEDEN: Transport authority SL has awarded Alstom a firm order to supply a further 20 Movia C30 metro trains for the Stockholm metro.
More Paris metro trains ordered
FRANCE: Paris transport operator RATP has awarded Alstom a firm order to supply a further 103 five-car MF19 metro trainsets.
Macau LRT East Line contract awarded
CHINA: Macau’s Public Works Bureau has awarded Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Top Builders Macau Co and Hou Chun Construction & Engineering Corp a contract to supply MHI’s Automated Guideway Transit rubber-tyred light metro technology for the Light Rapid Transit East Line.
Metro to the Taj Mahal opens
INDIA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first section of the Agra metro by teleconference on March 6, with passenger services starting at 06.00 the following day.
Sustainable last-mile LEAP connectivity at Bengaluru metro stations
INDIA: The Low Emission Access to Public Transport programme has been launched to enhance last-mile connectivity at Namma Metro stations in Bengaluru and encourage women to become rickshaw drivers.
Comment: Rail is resurgent despite turbulent times
While emerging markets have long held promise, rail investment is now happening in countries where even in the recent past it would have seemed implausible. Nick Kingsley highlights examples from Iraq to Mongolia.
Madrid metro automation planned
SPAIN: The automation of Madrid metro lines 6 and 8 is planned, President of the Community of Madrid Isabel Natividad Díaz Ayuso has announced.
Ontario Line guideway and stations contract awarded
CANADA: Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx have selected Trillium Guideway Partners to build the elevated guideway and stations for Toronto’s Ontario Line metro project.
Quantum train location testing on the London Underground
UK: Researchers are using a London Underground train to test whether quantum inertial navigation systems could be used to provide accurate location information for condition-based monitoring, train control and signalling applications without needing satellites or lineside equipment.
Taipei metro extension to Keelung approved
TAIWAN: The Ministry of Transportation & Communications has approved plans to extend the Blue Line metro eastwards by 15·6 km from Nangang Exhibition Centre in Taipei to Badu main line station in Keelung.
London trial of all-day Friday off-peak fares agreed
UK: Agreement has been reached to trial all-day off-peak rail and Underground fares in London on Fridays from March 8 until May 31.
Tenders called to develop Ulaanbaatar metro plan
MONGOLIA: Mayor Khishgeegiin Nyambaatar has announced a US$1·3bn plan to develop a metro to improve connectivity in Ulaanbaatar.
Napoli metro Line 6 trains ordered
ITALY: The city of Napoli has awarded Hitachi a €200m contract to supply 22 trainsets for light metro Line 6, which is to be reopened along with a new extension.
München metro relief line plans
GERMANY: The city of München has commissioned municipal bodies to draw up preliminary plans for the southern section of the proposed metro Line U9.
China: Metro networks grow in 14 cities
More than 300 km of new metro lines and extensions were commissioned in China during December 2023, with the completion of 19 projects in 14 cities. This meant that by the beginning of 2024, Chinese cities accounted for nine of the world’s 10 largest networks. Toma Bačić rounds up the latest additions.
Izmir 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.
London and New York outside top 10 longest metros as Chinese cities dominate
Data from Railway Gazette shows Moskva is now the only non-Chinese metro among the 10 longest networks in the world. Beijing and Shanghai are leading the way, but it is unclear yet which city will be first to achieve a 1 000 km metro.
Delhi’s Golden Line trains under construction
INDIA: Alstom’s Sri City factory has begun production of Metropolis trainsets for Delhi Metro Rail Corp’s Phase IV expansion programme.