BKV, the Budapest public transport operator, has awarded the Alstom-led Budapest Metropolis Consortium a contract for the supply of 170 Metropolis metro cars. Alstom’s share represents approximately 90 per cent of the €247 million order.
The agreement includes additional provision for the maintenance of the vehicles for a three-year period as well as an option for a further 28 cars. Alstom’s local partner is Ganz Transelektro Traction Electrics.
Budapest was the first city in continental Europe to inaugurate an electrically powered metro in 1896. Since then, the network has been extended to three lines covering 31 km with 78 stations. Now it is being further extended with a fourth 7.3 km line linking the south-west of the city to a future central railway station, due to open in 2009. The construction of yet another 3.2 km extension towards the northeast of the city has been planned for the next three years.
Fifteen four-car trainsets from the Metropolis range, each with an 800-passenger capacity will run on this new line with an option for seven trainsets for the future extension. Additionally, 22 five-car trainsets, with a capacity of 1020 passengers, will replace the existing fleet on line 2.
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