Metro de Madrid signed a contract with Alstom for the upgrade of signalling system on Line 6 making it Madrid’s first driverless metro line.
The contract includes the design, engineering, installation, and commissioning of the new signalling system and electronic interlocks necessary to upgrade the current communications-based train control (CBTC), from Grade of Automation 2 (GoA2) semi-automatic operation to Grade of Automation 4(GoA4), enabling fully autonomous and driverless operation. The project will also implement a new Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) system to enhance train monitoring and control.
Alstom will install it new Urbalis CBTC signalling system that will improve the safety, reliability, and capacity of the line. This technology will also allow increased frequencies and improved train efficiency, reducing their energy consumption.
“We are grateful to Metro de Madrid for their trust in our team and in our Railway Signalling Excellence Centre in Madrid to execute this iconic project that will transform and modernise Madrid’s metro system. This contract reinforces our commitment to enhance mobility for Madrid residents and visitors, by implementing state-of-the-art technology and continuous innovation,” said Leopoldo Maestu, Alstom Managing Director for Spain and Portugal.
Alstom’s Railway Signalling Excellence Centre in Madrid employs over 800 digital mobility experts, is a global reference in urban and mainline signalling and safety technologies.
The 23.5 km circular line served by 28 stations is renowned as one of the busiest in the city, serving nearly 400,000 passengers daily and connecting the entire metro network. The upgrade to a fully driverless metro line signifies a notable advancement in Madrid’s urban transport, enhancing the daily travel experience for thousands of residents and visitors, and bringing modernisation, resilience and energy savings to the heart of the metro network.
Alstom has been a strategic partner of Metro de Madrid for over 50 years, providing the first CBTC signalling system for lines 1 and 6, and supplying a significant portion of the interlocks in the metro network. Additionally, Alstom supplied 85% of the fleet traction systems, which were manufactured at its industrial centre in Trápaga (Bizkaia).
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