Shanghai Metro Agreement for Automatic Control System

A consortium of three international companies has signed an agreement with Shanghai Metro to provide a communications-based train control (CBTC) for the automatic operation of the city's new Line 7 and its northern extension.

Chinese rail company Shanghai Shentong Group has awarded two contracts worth €42m to French electronics and systems group Thales Rail Signalling Solutions, Alcatel Shanghai Bell and Shanghai Automation Instrumentation Co.

Thales will install the SelTrac CBTC system, which has been implemented throughout the world over the past 20 years.

Shanghai's 34km Line 7 runs from Jinqiu Road Station through to Longyang Road Station in the Pudong area, servicing 28 stations along the way.

The northern extension runs from the north of Jinqiu Road Station, through Gucun, to Luodian Station in the Luodian New Town area, at a length of 10km and servicing five stations.

By Ozge Ibrahim