Alstom has signed a contract with Barcelona Metro operator TMB (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona) to supply 42 Metropolis trains to replace those currently running on lines 1 and 3 of the network.

The contract, valued at over 260 million euros, includes the design, manufacturing and commissioning of the trains. The five-car trains will be manufactured in Alstom’s Barcelona facility and delivered to TMB within two and a half years.

Gian Luca Erbacci, senior vice-president of Alstom in Europe (www.alstom.com), said: “Alstom is honoured by this sign of confidence from TMB.

“Carrying over 400 million passengers a year, the Barcelona network is one of the most efficient and modern in Europe.

“With our trains, we aim to help TMB in the development of efficient and sustainable mobility that responds to the current and future needs of all passengers.”

According to the specifications, the new Metropolis trains will meet strict sustainability criteria: light structure, low energy consumption, high levels of recoverability and recyclability, technical reliability and ease of maintenance.

The trains will also be equipped with remote sensors for optimal maintenance.

With the passenger at the heart of Alstom’s design process, the trains for Barcelona will offer accessibility, wide doors and spaces to facilitate passenger flow, acoustic comfort, vibration mitigation and passenger information in real time.

Alstom has more than 65 years’ experience in the production of metros, having sold over 17,000 metro cars operating in 55 cities world-wide and carrying 30 million passengers every day.