Saturday, June 22, 2024
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Hitachi Rail played a pivotal role in the inauguration of the M4 metro line extension to Sydhavn and Valby, supported by their cutting-edge digital signaling. His Majesty Frederik, King of Denmark, accompanied by the Danish Minister of Transport, ambassadors from France, Austria, Italy, Portugal, and Japan, as well as the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen and the Mayor of Frederiksberg, marked this significant milestone in Copenhagen’s transportation network.
The M4 South extension spans 4.5 kilometers and serves five metro stations, providing a crucial hub for interconnections with the S-train network and regional and national trains. The newly inaugurated metro line connects Copenhagen South’s traffic hub with both the city center and the northern part of the city. Along its route, it intersects with the M3 Cityringen at several stations and passes through Kongens Nytorv, a central location where all four metro lines converge.
Hitachi Rail played a pivotal role in designing and supplying the transportation system for both the M4 South and North extensions, which include signaling technologies, train supervision, and new train fleets. Their innovative system combines driverless technology with communication-based train control (CBTC), reducing the need for physical wayside infrastructure and increasing service capacity. This advancement allows trains to operate safely at shorter intervals, enhancing the overall efficiency of the metro network.
The completion of the M4 South extension means that approximately 75% of residents in the Copenhagen and Frederiksberg areas now have immediate access to a metro or train station within less than 600 meters, significantly improving public transportation accessibility.
The M4 project marks the fourth successful metro collaboration between Hitachi Rail and Copenhagen, following the M1 and M2 lines opened for commercial service in 2002, and the M3 (Cityringen) inaugurated in September 2019. Hitachi Rail has been instrumental in supporting Metroselskabet and the municipality’s vision of creating a 24/7 connected Copenhagen. Their innovative designs and advanced signaling technologies have contributed to developing greener and more sustainable mobility solutions for the city.
Gianluca Guido – Head of Hitachi Rail Denmark, said: “We are grateful to Metroselskabet and the transport authorities for their trust and strong collaboration over the past years and we are proud to share the success of this key step towards the ambitious plan of the Copenhagen city to become the first carbon-neutral capital.”
For more than three decades, Hitachi Rail has been active in Denmark, primarily through its crucial collaboration with the Copenhagen Metro. This presence was significantly bolstered on May 31, 2024, when Hitachi Rail finalized the acquisition of Thales’ Ground Transportation Systems business in a €1.7 billion transaction. This acquisition has not only expanded Hitachi Rail’s footprint in Denmark but has also strengthened its partnership with BaneDanmark. Together, they are working on implementing ERTMS digital signaling technology across the country’s primary rail network.
