Alstom Secures EUR 915M Belgrade Metro Line 1 Contract

BELGRADE, SERBIA – Alstom will deliver a complete, automated metro system for Line 1 in Belgrade after signing a EUR 915 million contract with the public company Belgrade Metro & Train. The turnkey project for Serbia’s first-ever metro will feature 32 three-car driverless trains and is supported by financing from the French government. The project has now officially entered the design phase.

What Does This Contract Cover?

The agreement tasks Alstom with acting as the system integrator for a complete metro solution for the first 15-kilometre phase of Line 1. This includes the delivery of 32 Metropolis automated trains, Urbalis Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling for driverless operation, an integrated control center, platform screen doors, and a modern cybersecurity platform. The system is designed to support high-frequency service with headways as low as 90 seconds.

Key Contract Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Contracts?

The Belgrade contract represents a significant turnkey system award for Alstom in Southeast Europe. By comparison, the scale is smaller than Alstom’s rolling stock contracts for megaprojects like the Grand Paris Express, where a 2018 framework agreement for up to 1,000 metro cars to equip Lines 15, 16, and 17 carried a potential value of €1.3 billion for the trains alone, separate from signalling and systems integration (Source: Alstom, 2018). Unlike this Belgrade project, the Paris agreements often separate rolling stock procurement from the systems and infrastructure contracts.

Editor’s Analysis

This major capital investment in Belgrade’s urban mobility runs counter to broader forecasts for the regional rail market, which predict a decline in Serbian railway signalling spending. This divergence suggests that foundational, greenfield infrastructure projects like a city’s first metro line are often driven by long-term strategic goals that can insulate them from shorter-term technology investment cycles, such as the telecommunications sector’s transition from 5G to 6G (Source: ABI Research). The project solidifies Alstom’s market leadership in automated metro systems within Central and Eastern Europe.

FAQ

Q: What is a “fully automated” metro system?
A: A fully automated or “driverless” system, often designated as Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4), uses advanced CBTC signalling to operate trains without any staff on board. This technology, which Alstom will supply, allows for higher service frequency, increased passenger capacity, and enhanced operational flexibility.

Q: How long is Line 1 and what route will it follow?
A: The initial phase of Line 1 will be 15 kilometers long with 15 stations, connecting Makiško Polje to Karaburma. The route runs directly through the city center, with 11 kilometers of the line located in a tunnel.

Q: How will this new metro affect traffic in Belgrade?
A: The project is designed to provide a structural transformation of urban mobility in a city of nearly two million people. By moving a significant portion of commuter traffic underground, the metro is expected to directly alleviate chronic surface-level traffic congestion and reduce pressure on the existing bus and tram network.