Saint Ouen Cedex, France – 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% of the € 247 million order.

The agreement includes additional provision for the maintenance of these 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.

In 1896, Budapest was the first city in continental Europe to inaugurate an electrically-powered metro. Since then, the network has been extended to three lines covering 31 km with 78 stations Today, 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 north-east of the city has been planned for the next three years.

15 four-car trainsets from the METROPOLIS range, each with a 800 passenger capacity will run on this new line with an option for 7 trainsets for the future extension.
Additionally, 22 five-car trainsets, with a capacity of 1020 passengers, will replace the existing fleet on line 2.

The main advantages of this METROPOLIS rolling stock come from its modular construction (2 to 9 car configuration), its ability to run in automatic mode, its reliability (1832 carriages sold throughout the world) and its compatibility with Hungarian operating conditions.

As ALSTOM’s first major reference in Hungary, this project confirms the Company’s leading position in metro solutions:

• 6 billion passengers travel on an ALSTOM metro every year,
• 1 metro out of every 4 metros in the world is made by ALSTOM,
• more than 40 towns worldwide have opted for an ALSTOM metro,
• ALSTOM has more than 70 years experience in metro design and construction.