ALSTOM has signed a contract with Madrid Metro to supply its Urbalis signalling system for Line 6, upgrading the current CBTC system from semi-automatic operation under Grade of Automation 2 (GoA2) to GoA4 and fully autonomous and driverless operation.
The contract includes the design, engineering, installation, and commissioning of the new signalling system and electronic interlockings. The project also involves installing a new automatic train supervision (ATS) system to enhance train monitoring and control. The value of the contract was not disclosed.
Alstom's says that its Urbalis CBTC signalling system will improve the safety, reliability, and capacity of the line, enabling higher train frequencies while improving efficiency and reducing traction energy consumption.
The 23.5km circular Line 6 has 28 stations and is the busiest on the Madrid Metro network, carrying 400,000 passengers a day. Providing interchange with all other lines except Line 12 (MetroSur), it recorded a total of 116 million passenger-journeys in 2024, when Madrid Metro set a new ridership record of 715.2 million, up 8% on the year before and above pre-pandemic levels.
