Bucharest Metro


The Bucharest Metro is an underground rapid transit system that serves Bucharest, the capital of Romania. It first opened for service on 19 November 1979. The network is run by Metrorex. One of two parts of the larger Bucharest public transport network, Metrorex has an average of approximately 720,000 passenger trips per weekday, compared to the 1,180,000 daily riders on Bucharest's STB transit system. In total, the Metrorex system is long and has 53 stations.

History

The first proposals for a metro system in Bucharest were made in the early part of the 20th century, by the Romanian engineers Dimitrie Leonida and Elie Radu.
The earliest plans for a Bucharest Metro were drafted in the late 1930s, alongside the general plans for urban modernization of the city. The outbreak of World War II, followed by periods of political tensions culminating with the installation of communism, put an end to the plans.
By 1970, the public transport system was no longer adequate due to the fast pace of urban development, although the system was the fourth-largest in Europe. A commission was set up, and its conclusion pointed to the necessity of an underground transit system that would become the Bucharest Metro. The plan for the first line was approved on 25 November 1974 as part of the next five-year plan and the construction on the new metro system started on 20 September 1975.
The network was not built in the same style as other Eastern European systems. Firstly, the design of the stations on the initial lines was simple, clean-cut modern, without excessive additions such as mosaics, awkward lighting sources or excessive decoration. The main function of the stations was speed of transit and practicality. Secondly, the trainsets themselves were all constructed in Romania and did not follow the Eastern European style of construction. Each station usually followed a colour theme, and an open plan. No station was made to look exactly like any other. Despite this, many stations are rather dark, due to the policies of energy economy in the late 1980s, with later modernisations doing little to fix this problem. Bucharest being one of the largest cities in the region, the network is larger than those of Prague or Budapest. When the planned new line-extensions are finished, they will increase the system length to more than 100 km, with about 80 stations.
The first line, M1, opened on 19 November 1979, running from Semănătoarea ' to Timpuri Noi. It was long with 6 stations. Following this, more lines were opened:
Lines M1 and M3 have been sharing the section between Eroilor and Nicolae Grigorescu.
Large stations which connect with other lines have two terminals, and each terminal goes by a different name. On the official network map, they are shown as two stations with a connection in between, even though, in practice, they are really only one station with platforms at different levels. There is one exception: Gara de Nord 1 and Gara de Nord 2 are separate stations, passengers being required to change trains at Basarab.
Generally, the underground stations feature large interiors. The largest one, Piata Unirii, is cathedral-like, with vast interior spaces, hosting retail outlets and fast-food restaurants and has an intricate network of underground corridors and passageways.

Network map


Metrorex

Metrorex is the Romanian company which runs the Bucharest Metro. It is fully owned by the Romanian Government through the Ministry of Transportation. There were plans to merge the underground and overground transportation systems into one authority subordinated to the City of Bucharest, however these plans did not come to fruition.

Infrastructure and Network

As of 2018, the entire network runs underground, except for a short stretch between Dimitrie Leonida and Berceni stations on the southern end of M2 line. The network is served by five depots, 2 being located above ground and three underground and by additional smaller works at Gara de Nord and Eroilor stations.
There are two connections between the Metro network and the Romanian Railways network, one at Berceni, the other at Ciurel. The latter connection however is unused and mothballed. The metro network and the national rail network share the same track gauge and loading gauge but not the same electrification system making it possible for new metro cars to be transported cross country as unpowered railway cars.
The network is powered by a bottom-contact third rail system except in works, depots and some tunnels where a catenary system is employed.

Lines

There are 4 metro lines in operation, 1 under construction, and another 1 in the planning phase:
There are multiple signalling systems used. Line 2, the first one that has been modernized, uses Bombardier's CITYFLO 350 Automatic Train Control system. It ensures the protection and operation of the new Bombardier Movia trains.
The system uses an IPU, TI21-M track circuits and EbiScreen workstations. Signals have been kept only in areas where points are present, but only use a white light, meaning that the route has been assigned and the driver can use cab signalling.
Trains are usually operated automatically, with the driver only opening and closing the doors and supervising the operation.
Other features include auto turnback and a balise system, called PSM. This ensures that the train can stop at the platform automatically.
On line 3, the ATC system has been merged with the Indusi system. Signals are present in point areas and platform ends. Along with the three red-yellow-green lights, the white ATP light has been added. Optical routes can be assigned, meaning that a train gets a green light only after the next signal has been passed by the train ahead, or a yellow light, meaning that the signal can be passed at low speed. Automatic Block signals have been removed.
Line 4 uses Siemens's TBS 100 FB Automatic Train Control system.
Line 5 will use Alstom's Urbalis 400 Communications-based train control system.

Hours of operation

Trains run from 5 AM to 11 PM, every day. The last trains on M1, M2 and M3 wait for the transfer of the passengers between lines to complete, before leaving Piața Unirii station.

Headway

At rush hour, trains run at 4–6-minute intervals on lines 1 and 3, 1-3 minute intervals on line 2, and at 7–8-minute on line 4; during the rest of the day, trains run at 8-minute intervals on lines 1 and 3, 7-9 minute intervals on line 2 and 10-minute intervals on line 4.

Fares and tickets

Public transport in Bucharest is heavily subsidized, and the subsidies will increase, as the City Council wants to reduce traffic jams, pollution and parking problems and promote public transport. Like the STB, the metro can get crowded during morning and evening rush hours. The network uses magnetic stripe cards, that are not valid for use on trams, buses or trolleys. Payment by contactless credit cards is available directly at the turnstiles. This is currently available in 49 of the 52 stations. One tap will take 2.5 RON, the equivalent of one trip. For multiple validations with the same card, tap the plus button.

Magnetic stripe cards

Older style metro cards can be purchased at any metro station, except discounted passes, which can only be purchased at a limited number of stations.
Prices :
Older-style metro cards are not linked with personal data or usage data in a central database and thus they guarantee anonymity of the travel. Because of that, however, if a metro card is lost or damaged, the traveler cannot be reimbursed for the unused trips.

Future service

Under construction

Metrorex is also planning the following new lines, routes and stations:
The Bucharest Metro uses three types of trainsets:
VehicleType and descriptionInterior
The Romanian designed Astra IVA trains, built in Arad, are made up of various trainsets connected together. Each trainset is made up of two permanently connected train-cars that can only be run together. The Astra IVA rolling stock is approaching the end of its service life, so it is gradually being phased out. They are used on the M4.
The Bombardier Movia 346 trains are made up of six permanently connected cars, forming an open corridor for the entire length of the train. Bombardier trains are used on all lines, except line M4.
In November 2011, Metrorex signed a €97 million contract with CAF for 16 metro trains, with options for a further 8 sets. The 114m-long six-car trains will be assembled in Romania. They each accommodate up to 1,200 passengers and are made up of four powered and two trailer vehicles. As of November 2014, all trains have been delivered and all 16 of them entered in service. As the CAF trains enter service, all of the Bombardier stock will be moved for use on line M3, according to Metrorex's plans to replace all of the old Astra IVA stock on the entire network.
In November 2014, Metrorex signed an additional €47 million contract with CAF for 8 metro trains. As of 2018, 24 CAF trains are in use, exclusively on line M2.

The subway livery for Bucharest is either white with two yellow or red horizontal stripes below the window for the Astra trains, stainless steel with black and white for the Bombardier trains, or stainless steel with blue and white for the CAF trains.
All trains run on a 750 V DC third rail, or an overhead wire. Maximum speed on the system is 80 km/h, although plans are to increase it to 100 km/h on M5, a new line currently under construction.

Incidents

In its almost 40 years of operations, there never have been very grave accidents, however, there have been various incidents, either during construction or operation. Accidents are investigated by the Railway Investigation Authority.
Aside from these incidents, there have been other disruptions, especially in the last 3 years, due to suicides at the metro. A recent one on 25 June 2019, lead to the disruption of metro traffic at rush hour between Piața Unirii and Eroilor. Aside from that, in 2017, one woman was arrested for pushing a person in front of a train. These incidents led to criticism of METROREX, and suggestions to install platform screen doors or to increase security. Additionally, railfans reported harassment from security guards, being told "not to photograph in the stations", despite there being no official rule prohibiting photography in the metro network.

Facts

Bucharest Metro was the only one in the world that operated with passengers during testing.
In the 1980s, the speed of building the network placed the Bucharest Metro on the second place in the world, after Mexico City Metro.
The shortest distance between two adjacent stations is between Gara de Nord 2 and Basarab 2 and is 430 meters.