Bucharest Metro Line M2 Explained

Line M2
Type:Rapid transit
System:Bucharest Metro
Status:Operational
Start:Tudor Arghezi
End:Pipera
Stations:15
Ridership2: (2019)[1]
Operator:Metrorex S.A.
Depot:IMGB
Stock:BM3 (CAF), Bombardier Movia 346 (2-3)
Linelength Km:20.28
Map State:uncollapsed

M2 (20.281NaN1) is one of the five lines of metro of the Bucharest Metro.[2] [3] The M2 Line runs from Pipera to Tudor Arghezi, thus linking the north to the south of the city. The line is the busiest on the system, passing through a multitude of neighbourhoods, and also the only line to serve the centre of the city.

History

The line was built during the 1980s when the industrial development in Romania was in full swing. A north-south metro line was crucial, seeing as other methods of public transport were very crowded and cars were very rare. As such the construction of this line was prioritised over others such as the M4, which was only completed recently. The building of the M2 line led to the removal in 1987 of the trolleybus lines linking Berceni to Băneasa; those lines, put in place in 1962, were made obsolete by the opening of the metro, according to the city planners at the time.

The M2 line was opened in two steps:[4]

  1. BerceniPiața Unirii on 24 January 1986;
  2. Piața UniriiPipera on 25 October 1987.

A unique station on the Bucharest Metro is Piața Romană, which was shelved from the initial plan. It was built after the opening of the line in 1987, and this can be noticed easily; the platforms are very narrow and the pillars are massive. The station opened on 28 November 1988.[5]

As it stands now, the line is currently over capacity due to the massive amount of commuters using the line, and the gap left due to the removal of trolleybus lines. Additionally, the line's infrastructure has reached the end of its lifespan, and is prone to various incidents. Metrorex announced on 30 May 2019 that the line will undergo renovations over a 48-month period, although a beginning date on the works has yet to be announced.

Extensions

An at-grade extension toward the Bucharest South Ring Road, with a length of 1.61NaN1 and one station, was approved in January 2020,[6] [7] and inaugurated on 15 November 2023.[8] The name of the new station is Tudor Arghezi (after the writer Tudor Arghezi). The project also includes a park and ride facility with 600 parking sports.[9]

The Berceni metro station and the Tudor Arghezi metro station are the only stations of the Bucharest Metro which are aboveground, with the short stretch between Dimitrie Leonida and Tudor Arghezi stations being the only portion of the Bucharest Metro that does not run underground.

Rolling stock

The M2 uses new, CAF trains. The CAF trains were bought in 2014 so that the Movia trains could run on the M1 and M3, replacing the old Astra IVA trains that were moved to the new line of M4.[10] [11]

Name changes

StationPrevious name(s)Years
Eroii RevoluțieiPieptănari1986 - 1989
Dimitrie LeonidaIMGB1987 - 2009
BerceniDepoul IMGB1987 - 2009

References

  1. Web site: Activity Report 2019 . Metrorex S.A. . 38 . pdf . 2020-12-20.
  2. Web site: Activity Report 2018 . Metrorex S.A. . 6 . pdf . 2020-12-20.
  3. Web site: Bucharest . www.urbanrail.net.
  4. Web site: Metrorex history . . 2020-12-23.
  5. News: Popa . Laura . 17 December 2020 . "De ce nu e stație la Piața Romană?" Istoria metroului bucureștean spusă de unul dintre arhitecții care l-au proiectat . "Why isn't there a station at Piața Romană?" The history of the Bucharest metro told by one of the architects who designed it . PressOne . ro . Press One Media SRL . 2020-12-23.
  6. Web site: Andone . Anemona . 27 April 2020 . Stație nouă de metrou în Berceni: Primăria Sectorului 4 a atribuit contractul asocierii Somet - TIAB - UTI - Construcții Erbașu . New metro station in Berceni: the City Hall of Sector 4 awarded the contract to the association Somet - TIAB - UTI - Construcții Erbașu . www.economica.net . ro.
  7. Web site: Incep lucrarile la noua statie de metrou "Tudor Arghezi". Circulatia rutiera va fi restrictionata in zona . Olteanu . Anca . 17 January 2021 . ziare.com . iMedia Plus Group . ro . Work begins on the new "Tudor Arghezi" metro station. Road traffic will be restricted in the area . 2021-01-20.
  8. Web site: 15 November 2023 . A fost deschisă staţia de metrou 'Tudor Arghezi' . Tudor Arghezi station opened . ro . agerpres.ro.
  9. Web site: 2023-05-02 . Magistrala 2 de metrou: Stația Tudor Arghezi va fi pusă în funcțiune în cel mult două luni - șefa Metrorex . 2023-07-11 . Economica.net . ro.
  10. Web site: Activity Report 2018 . Metrorex S.A. . 23 . pdf . 2020-12-20.
  11. . 31 July 2014 . CAF metro trains enter service in Bucureşti . registration . . DVV Media International Ltd . 2021-01-20.