The first 10.5 kilometers of Istanbul’s driverless Metro Line 5 enables the connection between Üsküdar and Yamanevler, serving seven intermediate stations. The distance is covered in 17 minutes. This is the second metro line on the Asian side of Istanbul.
The construction of the first section of the automated line started in 2012 and the works were executed by theTurkish company Doğuş Construction Group.
Istanbul authorities estimate that the second section, between Yamanevler and Çekmeköy, will be commissioned in June 2018. Thus, the entire length of the Metro Line 5 will reach 20 kilometers, with a total of 16 stations. The total journey time between Üsküdar and Çekmeköy will be 27 minutes.
The entire value of the project, with its two sections, is TRY 3.5 billion (USD 915 million).
For this project, the Spanish company CAF provided a 21 trains, each of them consisting of six wagons, and Mitsubishi was responsible for the automation and electrical equipment. The total order for the 21 metro trains was USD 119 million. The contract was signed in June 2014 and the first metro arrived from Spain in November 2016. The total length of a metro trainset is 132 meters, with the capacity to carry 1,662 passengers . The maximum speed is 90 km/h. A 15% share of rolling stock production was achieved involving the Turkish railway industry.
Bombardier provided the Cityflo 650 signaling CBTC system, which allows a departure time between two metro trainsets of only 90 seconds. Thus, Istanbul’s Metro Line 5 can carry 55,000 passengers per hour to each direction. Stations are equipped with protective doors.
Istanbul Municipality estimates that 700,000 passengers will use this line daily. In the long run, the same authorities estimate that the line will be extended east of Çekmeköy to Sabiha Gökçen airport, located on the Asian side, the second airport in Istanbul.
Share on:
