Triple metro opening in Hangzhou
CHINA: Three more sections of metro have been opened in Hangzhou, adding more than 60 km to the network on a single day.
Cairo commuters get a break as Kit Kat metro extension inaugurated
EGYPT: Initial passenger services on Phase 3a of Cairo Metro Line 3 running west from Attaba to Kit Kat were inaugurated by Minister of Transport Kamel Al Wazir on October 6.
Zhengzhou Metro opens Line 6
CHINA: The initial 16·9 km western section of Zhengzhou metro Line 6 was opened for revenue service on September 30, linking Jiayu and Changzhuang with nine stations. Another station at Jinzhenlu is expected to open later.
Bilbao metro Line 5 approved
SPAIN: The Basque regional government has given final approval for construction of Line 5 of the Bilbao metro network.
Metro to Istanbul’s second airport opens
TURKEY: An extension of Istanbul metro Line M4 to Sabiha Gökçen airport on the Asian side of the city opened on October 2. The city’s second airport is the third busiest in Turkey with around 600 flights and 105 000 passengers a day, but was previously only served by buses, ...
Seeing London Underground’s Bakerloo Line trains in a new light
UK: A 50% energy saving and a substantial reduction in maintenance costs is being achieved by replacing fluorescent tubes on London Underground’s Bakerloo Line trains with custom designed LED lights from MARL International.
First Cityval light metro line opens in Rennes
FRANCE: Rennes Line B was opened on September 20, the first to use Siemens Mobility’s Cityval version of its Neoval rubber tyre automated light metro platform.
First of 950 cars delivered to St Petersburg metro
RUSSIA: TMH delivered the first of 950 Baltiets cars to the St Petersburg metro operator on September 13, just 19 days after Petersburg Metropoliten and TMH subsidary Transholdleasing signed a 242·6bn rouble, 25-year contract for new trainsets to replace almost half the fleet.
Series X train marks the spot for innovative passenger information
INNOTRANS: A detailed and location specific passenger information system is one of the highlights of the Series X metro trains which Siemens Mobility is supplying to the Austrian capital’s transport operator Wiener Linien.
ABB to expand portfolio with acquisition of PowerTech Converter
GERMANY: ABB is to acquire PowerTech Converter, which supplies auxiliary power converters for light rail vehicle and metro train onboard systems such as HVAC, lighting, safety equipment, doors and battery charging.
Toronto metro project preferred bidders selected
CANADA: Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx have announced the preferred proponents for the Toronto Ontario Line metro project’s Civil, Stations & Tunnel (South) and Rolling Stock, Systems, Operations & Maintenance PPP contracts.
Driverless trains introduced on Paris metro Line 4
FRANCE: Grade of Automation 4 unattended driverless operation on Paris metro Line 4 was launched on September 12.
Buenos Aires metro train overhaul
ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires metro operator EMOVA has awarded Alstom a contract to overhaul five five-car trains over 19 months.
Rubber-tyred metro trains with automatically-darkening windows ordered
SOUTH KOREA: Busan Transportation Corp has awarded Woojin Industrial Systems a 34·2bn won contract to supply nine two-car rubber-tyred automated guideway transit vehicles for the Yangsan Line.
Kaohsiung Yellow Line rolling stock and railway systems contract awarded
TAIWAN: Kaohsiung City Mass Rapid Transit Bureau has awarded a turnkey contract to provide rolling stock and railway systems for the MRT Yellow Line to a consortium of ST Engineering, Stadler and Siemens Mobility.
Grand Paris Line 18 power supply contract
FRANCE: A 50:50 consortium of Colas Rail and Eiffage Énergie Systèmes has been awarded a €26m contract to provide traction power supply equipment for the 35 km Grand Paris Express automated metro Line 18 between Orly Airport and Versailles-Chantiers station.
Tyne & Wear Metro trains rolled out
UK: The first two of the 46 trainsets ordered for the Tyne & Wear Metro have been rolled out by Stadler in Switzerland.
Transport for London funding agreed to 2024
UK: The government and Transport for London have reached agreement on a funding settlement running until March 31 2024. This includes just under £1·2bn of base funding and a revenue support mechanism, although there is still a funding gap and TfL is required to consider pension reform, cost savings and ...
First phase of Fuzhou metro Line 6 opens
CHINA: The first phase of Fuzhou metro Line 6 opened on August 28, running 31·3 km from Pandun to Wanshou with 16 stations. This includes the 6·8 km Doqingzhou Bridge over the River Min, which has metro tracks on the lower deck and a six-lane road on the upper level; ...
St Petersburg to replace almost half its metro fleet
RUSSIA: St Petersburg metro operator Petersburg Metropoliten has signed a 25-year agreement for the lease of 950 metro cars from the Transholdleasing subsidiary of rolling stock manufacturer TMH.