Chengdu metro line 3 phase one enters passenger operation

Metro cars equipped with Alstom’s traction systems have begun revenue service on the recently opened phase one of Chengdu metro line 3.

Phase one of the Chengdu metro line 3 begun revenue service on 31 July 2016, on which 144 metro cars equipped with Alstom’s traction systems now circulate.

Located in China’s Sichuan province, the Chengdu metro line 3 phase one covers 20km linking the General Hospital of Chengdu Military Region to Taipingyuan calling at 17 stations.

Chengdu Line 3 will cover over 50km

In its entirety, Chengdu Line 3 – being built in three phases – will be 50.4 km long and include 37 stations. Alstom has been awarded contracts to supply traction systems to equip a total of 432 metro cars to circulate on the new line, including 144 metro cars for phase one and 288 metro cars for phase two and three, expected to start their trial runs in 2018. The traction systems for all three phases are being manufactured by Alstom’s local joint venture Shanghai Alstom Transport Electrical Equipment Co. Ltd. (SATEE) in China, and Alstom in France and Belgium, with components supplied by Tarbes and software supplied by Charleroi.

Through SATEE, Alstom is supplying its metro traction system OptONIX, specifically designed and developed for the Chinese market.

Commenting on the opening, Ling Fang, Managing Director of China & East Asia, Alstom said: “This will significantly shorten the commuting time of passengers through a transport solution that is reliable, efficient and environmentally friendly.  With the objective of developing greener transport solutions, Chengdu can rely on Alstom’s urban mobility solutions and its partnership through its valuable local JV SATEE, to achieve this goal.”

Alstom has supplied traction solutions for 18 metro lines in 8 cities in China including Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Qingdao and Hong Kong.