Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd, Helsinki City Transport, and Länsimetro Ltd, the entities that own, manage and operate the Helsinki metro, has confirmed that it has awarded a contract to CAF for the modernisation of the entire signalling infrastructure using the CBTC (Communications-Based Train Control) system developed by CAF, called OPTIO. As part of the contract, CAF will also supply the control centre and upgrade the existing fleet of M300 trains, previously supplied by CAF. These trains will be retrofitted to install the on-board CBTC systems. The contract is worth more than EUR 60 million.
This contract is a new milestone for CAF, as it reaffirms the company's commitment to the railway signalling segment. At the same time, it establishes a new CAF landmark in the field of automated metro driving, following the significant contract awarded for the Naples Metro at the end of last year. This development completes the current range of track-side and on-board signalling solutions within the Main Line (general rail network) segment. In the case of Helsinki specifically, the OPTIO system will enable the metro network to operate in automatic mode (GoA2), with unattended automatic return operations (GoA3) possible at the ends of the lines.
Spanning circa 43 kilometres, the Helsinki metro network connects the Finnish capital with the neighbouring city of Espoo via its two lines. Inaugurated in 1982, the network features 30 stations and serves over 78 million passengers per year.
The main goals of the project, with various aspects and functionalities to be gradually implemented, include modernising the system to improve reliability and increasing operational automation. It also opens the possibility to increase the train frequency to meet the higher demand forecast for the coming years. All of this will be achieved through the implementation of an advanced signalling solution scheduled for commercial operation by the end of this decade.
This contract also demonstrates the trust that a prestigious operator like Metro Helsinki places in CAF, further strengthening the ongoing collaboration between both companies, with CAF having previously supplied 25 metro units to Helsinki’s network in recent years. It should also be noted that the Scandinavian region is a strategic and growing rail market for CAF, where the company has undertaken several other projects, including supplying units for the high-speed line connecting Oslo to its airport, tram fleets for cities such as Stockholm, Oslo, and Lund, as well as two major railway contracts to supply new regional train fleets for the Swedish operators Transitio AB and SJ AB.
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