Siemens Mobility is equipping Berlin’s metro with communications-based train control (CBTC) technology to enable semi-automated operation for the first time.

Siemens won the tender from Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) and will introduce the CBTC system on the U5 and U8 metro lines in Berlin. The Trainguard MT CBTC offering will enable semi-automated operation on the U5 line by 2029 and on the U8 line by 2032, increasing capacity on these lines by around 30%.

CBTC technology allows headways of less than 100s. This should improve the reliability and punctuality of the two metro lines.

Siemens will carry out the conversion during ongoing operations so trains on both lines of Germany’s largest metro system can continue to run uninterrupted throughout the entire project.

The contract has a value of approximately €200m, plus additional long-term technology maintenance contracts.

“The investment in our leading CBTC technology for metros is really good news for rail passengers in Berlin,” said Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility. “It will provide the technical conditions for semi-automated trains to run on the lines every 100 seconds. This translates into 30% more passenger capacity for Berliners and is the best answer for increasing climate protection and meeting the growing need for mobility. Our tried and tested CBTC systems for metros are already being used in many major cities around the world, including Singapore, Paris and New York.”

The U5 and U8 lines will be equipped with Trainguard MT over a total route length of 40km, which includes all 26 stations on the U5 line and 24 stations on the U8 line. Siemens will completely replace the existing signalling system with its digital CBTC technology to enable more efficient and centralised monitoring of operations and a higher level of automation and connectivity.

When the system is installed, the semi-automated operation will allow trains to communicate continuously with the trackside, run automatically at specified safety intervals, perform emergency braking, and accelerate and brake autonomously. The train driver can then concentrate on boarding and alighting passengers, monitor the route visually, and intervene in an emergency. By relying on real-time data on train positions and speeds, more trains can run at shorter headways along the line.

Siemens Mobility (www.mobility.siemens.com) offers a range of intelligent mobility options and a portfolio for various rail markets, including mass transit, mainline and freight. The Trainguard MT CBTC (www.mobility.siemens.com/global/en/portfolio/rail-infrastructure/mass-transit/communications-based-train-control-system.html) is used by 56 operators on five continents, in 25 countries and 49 cities to optimise their metro and suburban rail systems and operate them more efficiently, sustainably and economically.

Trainguard MT is the most widely used control system worldwide and is deployed on 96 metro lines, in 4351 equipped trains transporting more than 30 million passengers daily. The system can increase the capacity and performance of new as well as existing rail systems and enable fully automated train operation.