Think Railways

Alstom has delivered 3 new metro trainsets to Baku Metro, in accordance with a contract signed in 2014. The trainsets, consisting of 5 cars each, will be commissioned for passenger service by the end of May 2015 on one of the metro lines currently in operation.

For the first time in Azerbaijan, the metro trainsets have inter-car walkways to optimise passenger traffic flow and vertical handrails near the doors to enhance passenger safety when the train is in motion. The metros’ capacity has been increased up to 1,047 passengers and 202 ergonomic seats and the head car has been fitted with a dedicated area for persons with reduced mobility.

The metros are equipped with LED lights to ensure greater luminosity and better energy savings. All materials used in the train’s interior meet global requirements in terms of anti-vandalism design. The new 1520 mm gauge metro cars have been produced at Metrovagonmash plant. They are currently undergoing dynamic tests.

“The metros exterior and interior design have been improved by Alstom to ensure a better passenger comfort. They have undergone strict quality control to meet the highest standards. This brand new generation of metro contributes to the modern image of Baku,” said Martin Vaujour, Senior Vice President CIS Alstom Transport.

Baku’s metro system was commissioned in 1967. In 2010, the 20-year phase-gate development programme related to the Baku metro was approved, validating the construction of 53 new stations and a 84.3-km network by 2030. A total of 1,100 metro cars are to be replaced by 2028 and further trains will be purchased to run on the new lines.

Alstom is expanding its presence on the CIS market through local partners, implementing the localisation of manufacturing. In 2010, Alstom Transport acquired a blocking minority stake in Transmashholding (TMH), Russia’s leading railway manufacturer. To date, Alstom and TMH have created 4 joint ventures in Russia and Kazakhstan to carry out projects for the 1520 mm gauge market.