Siemens Mobility to Modernize Berlin U5 and U8 Metro Lines with Advanced CBTC Technology

(IN BRIEF) Siemens Mobility has secured a contract with Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) to implement a Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) system on Berlin’s U5 and U8 metro lines. The Trainguard MT CBTC solution will enable semi-automated operations by 2029 on the U5 line and by 2032 on the U8 line, increasing line capacity by up to 30% and allowing headways of less than 100 seconds. The project, valued at approximately 200 million euros, will be completed during ongoing operations to ensure uninterrupted metro service. Siemens Mobility’s advanced technology aims to enhance efficiency, reliability, and sustainability for Berlin’s metro system.

(PRESS RELEASE) MUNICH, 5-Jul-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Siemens AG (ETR: SIE), a German multinational conglomerate and Europe’s largest industrial manufacturing company, announces that Siemens Mobility has been awarded a contract by Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) to implement a state-of-the-art Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) system on Berlin’s U5 and U8 metro lines. This cutting-edge Trainguard MT CBTC solution will facilitate semi-automated operations (Grade of Automation 2, or GoA2) on the U5 line by 2029 and on the U8 line by 2032, increasing line capacity by up to 30% and allowing headways of less than 100 seconds.

The conversion to CBTC technology will be conducted during ongoing operations, ensuring uninterrupted service on Germany’s largest metro system throughout the project. The contract, valued at approximately 200 million euros, includes additional long-term maintenance agreements.

Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, commented: “Investing in our leading CBTC technology is excellent news for Berlin’s rail passengers. It enables semi-automated trains to operate every 100 seconds, increasing capacity by 30%. This is the optimal solution for enhancing climate protection and meeting the growing demand for mobility. Our proven CBTC systems are already in use in major cities worldwide, including Singapore, Paris, and New York.”

Technical Overview

The Trainguard MT system will cover a total of 40 kilometers, encompassing all 26 stations on the U5 line and 24 stations on the U8 line. Siemens Mobility will replace the existing signaling system with this digital CBTC technology to enable efficient and centralized monitoring, higher levels of automation, and improved connectivity. The semi-automated operation will facilitate continuous communication between trains and trackside equipment, allowing for automatic regulation of speed, emergency braking, and autonomous acceleration and deceleration. Train drivers will focus on passenger boarding and alighting, visual route monitoring, and emergency interventions. Real-time data on train positions and speeds will allow more trains to operate at shorter intervals.

Siemens Mobility’s Global Impact

Siemens Mobility’s Rail Infrastructure Business Unit, a global market leader, provides a comprehensive range of intelligent mobility solutions for various rail markets, including mass transit, mainline, and freight. The Trainguard MT CBTC solution is the leading train control system, used by 56 operators across 25 countries and 49 cities, optimizing metro and suburban rail systems for greater efficiency, sustainability, and economy. Currently deployed on 96 metro lines with 4,351 equipped trains, Trainguard MT transports over 30 million passengers daily, maximizing the capacity and performance of both new and existing rail systems and enabling fully automated train operations.

Siemens Mobility is a separately managed company of Siemens AG. As a leader in intelligent transport solutions for more than 175 years, Siemens Mobility is constantly innovating its portfolio. Its core areas include rolling stock, rail automation and electrification, a comprehensive software portfolio, turnkey systems as well as related services. With digital products and solutions, Siemens Mobility is enabling mobility operators worldwide to make infrastructure intelligent, increase value sustainably over the entire lifecycle, enhance passenger experience and guarantee availability. In fiscal year 2023, which ended on September 30, 2023, Siemens Mobility posted revenue of €10.5 billion and employed around 39,800 people worldwide. Further information is available at: www.siemens.com/mobility

Media contact:

Moritz Krause
Siemens Mobility
+49 162 3480575
moritz.krause@siemens.com

SOURCE: Siemens AG