Alstom has been awarded a €159m contract to supply a high-capacity driverless signalling system for the upcoming Blue Line of the Taichung Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system in Taiwan.
The contract is part of a broader initiative led by the Rapid Transit System Bureau of Taichung City Government to enhance urban mobility through the construction of a second MRT line.
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The project will be delivered by an international consortium including Alstom, Singapore Technologies Engineering (STE), CTCI, and Hyundai Rotem Company.
Alstom will supply its Urbalis Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) system, which is already in use on Taichung’s Green Line. This system is designed to increase train frequency and reduce waiting times by enabling shorter headways, down to 90 seconds.
The Taichung Blue Line will span 24.8 kilometres and include 20 stations. It will connect Taichung Port in the west to the Taiwan Railways Administration’s Taichung Station in the east, facilitating integration with the existing Green Line and the planned Orange Line. The project supports the city’s long-term goal of creating an integrated, multimodal transportation network.
Alstom has maintained a presence in Taiwan for more than four decades and has previously delivered signalling systems for the Taipei Metro. In addition to its work on the Taichung Green Line, the company is currently supplying technology for multiple metro lines under construction in Taipei, including the Wanda and Circular Line phases.
Globally, Alstom has implemented CBTC systems on more than 190 metro lines in 32 countries.
Toby Tiberghien, managing director of Alstom, East Asia, said: “Our Urbalis solution will deliver an efficient and reliable driverless signalling system through a high-quality solution and service excellence, supporting our commitment to build a better connected future for the city.”
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