Skip to main content

Siemens to equip Line 4 of Paris Metro for driverless operation

Siemens received an order from the Paris public transport operator RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens) to equip the 27 stations of Paris Metro the twelve kilometre Line 4 with signalling and operations control systems. Siemens will supply its Trainguard MT automatic train control system that uses communications-based technology to achieve fully automatic, driverless operation. All train movements will be supervised via the operation control centre, which will also be supplied by Siemens. Spec
January 12, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
189 Siemens received an order from the Paris public transport operator RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens) to equip the 27 stations of Paris Metro the twelve kilometre Line 4 with signalling and operations control systems.

Siemens will supply its Trainguard MT automatic train control system that uses communications-based technology to achieve fully automatic, driverless operation. All train movements will be supervised via the operation control centre, which will also be supplied by Siemens. Special doors at the platforms will ensure additional safety at all 27 metro stations.

With around 700,000 passengers a day, Line 4 of the Paris Metro is one of the most frequented sections of the whole Paris mass transit network and the most important north-south metro link in the city. On its way through France's capital it stops at three major long-distance railway stations and is also the only line with transfer terminals to all 16 other mass transit lines.

"Automatic operation will enable Line 4 to offer a service interval of 85 seconds. At the same time, the automatic control will allow to reduce energy consumption by up to 15 percent," says Jochen Eickholt, CEO of Siemens Mobility. The order is worth around US$76 million. Work on the line is scheduled for completion in 2022.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • P3s offer new options for public transit agencies
    March 28, 2018
    David Crawford welcomes new US guidance on public-private partnerships in the public transit sector. Public-private partnerships (P3s) are becoming increasingly favoured as a means of cost-effectively delivering much-needed public transit projects across the US. Previously, researched examples have tended to be on the large-scale while information on the potential for smaller, more localised schemes has been comparatively sparse. In a bid to fill that gap, the ‘Public Transportation Guidebook for Small
  • Mexico issues rail tender
    March 5, 2014
    Mexico's transport and communications ministry (SCT) has launched a tender for construction of the Mexico City-Toluca passenger rail line. The project will be divided into a series of separate tenders, with the first open to Mexican companies only. The tender launched on 28 February is a public works contract for construction of the first 36km of railway. Subsequent tenders will relate to the acquisition of rolling stock and electromechanical works. The electric trains will travel at speeds of up to 1
  • Brazil state advances LRT project
    December 8, 2014
    Plans for a US$427 million light rail transit (LRT) system in Brazil's Minas Gerais state are moving forward. The project, for Uberlândia city, is being spearheaded by Uberlândia federal university (UFU) and the local authorities. A draft proposal was presented to the public this week for feedback and the university is now working on a basic engineering plan. City hall and the federal government would seek funding for the construction of the project. The LRT will have two lines, one spanning 6.9 kilom
  • Mercedes-Benz to trial electric buses in two German cities
    January 29, 2019
    Mercedes-Benz has supplied three fully-electric buses to German municipal transport company Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr (RNV) to help improve air quality in the cities of Mannheim and Heidelberg. Dr. Peter Kurz, mayor of Mannheim, says: “The electrification of buses is now an important milestone on the way to a clean city and will make local public transport significantly more attractive.” The first eCitaro bus will operate in Heidelberg, travelling from the main train station to the Altstadt commuter rail stati