Alstom was awarded a EUR 430 million contract to carry out the renewal and automation of Marseille metro system. The contract, which is financially supported by Métropole Aix-Marseille-Provence, includes the supply of the systems and equipment, as well as the delivery of the new metro trains which will enter services in 2024.
Alstom will develop, supply and install the operating system and equipment for the automatic operation of the network’s two lines. Alstom will also commission 38 four-car new rubber-tyred metro trains and modernise all the audiovisual passenger information inside the stations.
The trains will run in semi-automatic mode with drivers until mid-2025 on line M2 and until 2026 on line M1, before switching to full automation.
Each 4-car train, 65 metres long and in “boa” configuration (with inter-car circulation), will be able to carry up to 500 passengers. The sleekly designed trains will feature large bay windows, a highly efficient air conditioning system and modern passenger information systems, providing a pleasant on-board experience. Alstom called on Marseille designers Ora-ïto and Fabien Bourdier for the design and the sound conception of the new trains.
Three designs were proposed to the Metropole Aix-Marseille-Provence, which chose to set up an Internet consultation to give residents the opportunity to give their opinion on the design they would like to see selected.
The new metros for Marseille are environmentally friendly and will be eco-designed, enabling them to be 96% recoverable at the end of their lifespan. They will consume 25% less energy than the metros currently in service, thanks in particular to electric braking (up to 0 km/h), LED lighting and other optimisations.
For the automation system, Alstom will provide its Urbalis 400 solution. The Marseille metro will benefit from a proven, continuously improved system, with on-board computers equipped with the latest technology, vital computers that are over 99% available, beacon tracker, etc.
in November, the European Investment Bank signed a EUR 200 million loan agreement for Marseille metro project.
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