Bucharest Metro

The Bucharest Metro (Romanian: Metroul din București) is an underground rapid transit system that serves Bucharest, the capital of Romania. It first opened for service on 16 November 1979. The network is run by Metrorex. One of two parts of the larger Bucharest public transport network, Metrorex had an annual ridership of 142,783,000 passengers during 2023, compared to over a billion annual passengers on Bucharest's STB transit system. In total, the Metrorex system is 80.1 kilometres (49.8 mi) long and has 64 stations.
The Bucharest Metro has five lines (M1, M2, M3, M4, and M5). The newest metro line, M5, was opened in 2020. A sixth metro line, M6 line, is currently under construction.
As of 2024, Bucharest Metro is the only metro system in Romania; with a second one, the Cluj-Napoca Metro, being under construction.
Bucharest Metro is part of the Bucharest public transport network which also includes STB, which operates a complex network of buses, trolleybuses, light rail and trams. STB is Bucharest's surface public network system, while Bucharest Metro operates underground (a short stretch between Dimitrie Leonida and Tudor Arghezi metro stations is the only portion of the Bucharest Metro that does not run underground). Until relatively recently, car ownership in Romania was not common: during the first part of the 20th century few people had cars, and the subsequent communist regime installed after World War II restricted personal car use. The public transportation system in Bucharest has its origin in the 19th century, with the city introducing horse-drawn trams in 1872.
The first proposals for a metro system in Bucharest were made in the early part of the 20th century, by the Romanian engineers Dimitrie Leonida and Elie Radu.
The earliest plans for a Bucharest Metro were drafted in the late 1930s, alongside the general plans for urban modernization of the city. The outbreak of World War II, followed by periods of political tensions culminating with the installation of communism, put an end to the plans.
By 1970, the public transport system (ITB) was no longer adequate due to the fast pace of urban development, although the system was the fourth-largest in Europe. A commission was set up, and its conclusion pointed to the necessity of an underground transit system that would become the Bucharest Metro. The plan for the first line was approved on 25 November 1974 as part of the next five-year plan and the construction on the new metro system started on 20 September 1975.
The network was not built in the same style as other Eastern European systems. Firstly, the design of the stations on the initial lines was simple, clean-cut modern, with most stations being relatively austere, without excessive additions such as mosaics, awkward lighting sources or elaborate and ornate decoration. The main function of the stations was speed of transit and practicality. Secondly, the trainsets themselves were all constructed in Romania and did not follow the Eastern European style of construction. Each station usually followed a colour theme (generally white – in Unirii 2 (Union 2), Victoriei 1 (Victory 1), Lujerului; but also light blue – in Obor, Universitate (University), and Gara de Nord (North Train Station); orange – in Tineretului (Of Youth Station); green – in Grozăvești), and an open plan. No station was made to look exactly like any other. Despite this, many stations are rather dark, due to the policies of energy economy in the late 1980s, with later modernisations doing little to fix this problem.
During the 1980s, the metro network expanded very rapidly, at a rate only surpassed by that of the Mexico City Metro. Two more lines were opened during this decade, M3 in 1983, and M2 in 1986. After the 1989 Romanian Revolution, the socioeconomic and political turmoil of the 1990s largely stagnated the expansion of the metro. Advancement of the construction was difficult; for example, the Gorjului metro station was built in two stages (1994 outbound platform and 1998 inbound platform), and as a consequence the two platforms and associated vestibules were built with different materials and with different colour schemes. The fourth metro line, M4, for which construction was started in September 1989 (shortly before the Revolution), was finally opened in 2000. After Romania joined the European Union in 2007, EU funds helped with the expansion of the metro. The M5 line was opened in 2020, and the M6 line is under construction.
Due to Bucharest being one of the largest cities in the region, the network is larger than those of Prague, Warsaw, Budapest or Sofia. Bucharest Metro is also larger than some other metro systems within the European Union, such as: Rome Metro, Copenhagen Metro, Helsinki Metro, Amsterdam Metro, Brussels Metro, and Lisbon Metro. In addition, there are plans to extend the existing lines and to open two more lines: M7 and M8. Bucharest Metro opened in 1979 (line M1), shortly after Brussels Metro (1976), Vienna U-Bahn (1976) and Amsterdam Metro (1977), and before Helsinki Metro (1982) or Copenhagen Metro (2002).
The first line, M1, opened on 19 November 1979, running from Semănătoarea (now Petrache Poenaru) to Timpuri Noi. It had a length of 8.1 kilometres (5.0 mi) with 6 stations. Following this, more lines and several extensions were opened:
Expansions in the near future (estimative):
Lines M1 and M3 have been sharing the section between Eroilor and Nicolae Grigorescu.
Lines M5 have been sharing the section between Romancerilor.
Lines M4 and M6 have been sharing the section between Gara de Nord 2 and 1 Mai.
The newest metro station, Tudor Arghezi (M2), was opened on 15 November 2023. Between that date and 8 May 2024, all services to Tudor Arghezi ran in a shuttle service from Berceni, because the signalling and automatisation systems were not yet finished.
Large stations which connect with other lines, such as Piața Victoriei, have two terminals, and each terminal goes by a different name (Victoriei 1 and Victoriei 2). On the official network map, they are shown as two stations with a connection in between, even though, in fact – and for trip planners – they are a single station with platforms at different levels. There is one exception: Gara de Nord 1 and Gara de Nord 2 are separate stations (although linked through a subterranean passage, the traveller is required to exit the station proper and pay for a new fare at the other station, thus leaving the system), passengers being required to change trains at Basarab.
Generally, the underground stations feature large interiors. The largest one, Piata Unirii, is cathedral-like, with vast interior spaces, hosting retail outlets and fast-food restaurants and has an intricate network of underground corridors and passageways.
Metrorex is the Romanian company which runs the Bucharest Metro. It is fully owned by the Romanian Government through the Ministry of Transportation. There were plans to merge the underground and overground transportation systems into one authority subordinated to the City of Bucharest, however these plans did not come to fruition.
As of 2023, the entire network runs underground, except for a stretch between Dimitrie Leonida and Tudor Arghezi stations on the southern end of the M2 line. All metro stations are underground, except two (Berceni and Tudor Arghezi, which are the former terminus and current terminus, respectively, of line M2). The network is served by six depots, two being located above ground (IMGB and Industriilor) and four underground (Ciurel, Străulești, Pantelimon and Valea Ialomiței) and smaller additional works at Gara de Nord 1, Eroilor 1, Republica, Parc Drumul Taberei, Favorit, Anghel Saligny, Crângași, Piața Victoriei 2 and Dristor 2 stations.
There are two connections between the Metro network and the Romanian Railways network, one at Berceni (connecting to the Bucharest Belt Ring), the other at Ciurel (connecting via an underground passage to the Cotroceni-Militari industrial railway). However, the latter connection is currently unused and mothballed. The metro network and the national rail network have almost similar track gauge (using the 1,432 mm / 4 ft 8+3⁄8 in vs 1,435 mm / 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) and loading gauge but not the same electrification system (the metro uses 750 V DC third rail whereas the Romanian Railways use 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead lines) making it possible for new metro cars to be transported cross country as unpowered railway cars. This distinction is also seen in the pre-2007 separation between the MTR and the former KCR network in Hong Kong (see Track gauge in Hong Kong).
There are five metro lines in operation and another one in the construction phase:
There are multiple signalling systems used. Line 2, the first one that has been modernized, uses Bombardier's CITYFLO 350 automatic train control system. It ensures the protection (ATP) and operation (ATO) of the new Bombardier Movia trains.
The system uses an IPU (Interlocking processing unit), TI21-M track circuits and EbiScreen workstations. Signals have been kept only in areas where points are present, meaning that the route has been assigned and the driver can use cab signalling. Trains are usually operated automatically, with the driver only opening and closing the doors and supervising the operation. Other features include auto turnback and a balise system, called PSM (precision stop marker). This ensures that the train can stop at the platform automatically.
On line 3, the ATC system has been merged with the Indusi system. Signals are present in point areas and platform ends. Along with the three red-yellow-green lights, the white ATP light has been added. Optical routes can be assigned, meaning that a train gets a green light (permission to pass the signal) only after the next signal has been passed by the train ahead, or a yellow light, meaning that the signal can be passed at low speed. Automatic block signals have been removed.
Line 4 uses Siemens's TBS 100 FB ATC system.
Line 5 uses Alstom's Urbalis 400 Communications-based train control system.
Trains run from 5 AM to 11 PM every day. The last trains on M1, M2 and M3 wait for the transfer of the passengers between lines to complete, before leaving Piața Unirii station.
At rush hour, trains run at 4–6-minute intervals on lines 1 and 3, at 1-3 minute intervals on line 2, and at 7–8-minute on line 4; during the rest of the day, trains run at 8-minute intervals on lines 1 and 3, at 7-9 minute intervals on line 2 and at 10-minute intervals on line 4.
Public transport in Bucharest is heavily subsidized, and the subsidies will increase, as the City Council wants to reduce traffic jams, pollution and parking problems and promote public transport. Like the STB, the metro can get crowded during morning and evening rush hours. The network uses magnetic stripe cards, that are not valid for use on trams, buses or trolleybuses. Payment by contactless credit cards is available directly at the turnstiles. One tap will take 3 RON, the equivalent of one trip. For multiple validations with the same card, tap the plus button. Starting from 29 July 2021 Metrorex began replacing the magnetic stripe cards with contactless ones for weekly and monthly passes. As of November 2021 most of the cards with have been replaced with contactless ones.
Tickets can be bought from any metro station, from both kiosks and vending machines. Prices:
Metrorex only tickets:
Integrated Metro and STB Passes:
Integrated Metro, STB and train on the section between North Station and Bucharest Airport:
Standard trip cards are sold as anonymous magnetic strip cards, whereas the passes are sold as either MIFARE Ultralight or MIFARE Classic 1000 cards. Passengers can also opt to pay for the trip directly at the gates using credit cards or with Apple Pay/Google Pay. This payment system was implemented in 2019 with VISA, BCR and S&T Romania.
These projects are financed by the EU, with the exception of M6.2 which is financed by a loan from JICA.
Metrorex is also planning the following new lines, routes and stations:
The Bucharest Metro uses three types of trainsets:
The subway livery for Bucharest is either white with two yellow or red horizontal stripes below the window for the Astra trains, stainless steel with black and white for the Bombardier trains, or stainless steel with blue and white for the CAF trains.
All trains run on a bottom-contact 750 V DC third rail, or an overhead wire (in maintenance areas where a third rail would not be safe). Maximum speed on the system is 80 km/h (50 mph), although plans are to increase it to 100 km/h (62 mph) on M5, a new line that opened its first phase on 15 September 2020. New trains from Alstom (Metropolis) have been ordered, the first train having arrived in April 2024.
In its 45 years of operations, there have never been any very grave accidents, however, there have been various incidents, either during construction or operation. Accidents are investigated by the Railway Investigation Authority (Agenția de Investigare Feroviară Română (AGIFER)).
Aside from these incidents, there have been other disruptions due to suicides at the metro. A recent one on 25 June 2019, led to the disruption of metro traffic at rush hour between Piața Unirii and Eroilor (the suicide took place at Izvor). Aside from that, in 2017, one woman was arrested for pushing a person in front of a train. These incidents led to criticism of METROREX, and suggestions to install platform screen doors or to increase security. Additionally, railfans reported harassment from security guards, being told "not to photograph in the stations".
Currently, the Bucharest Metro does not use platform screen doors. Debates about the opportunity of using platform screen doors have been going on for years, and testing of such doors has been taking place at Berceni metro station, but in 2024 authorities stated that it is uncertain whether platform screen doors will be installed, given concerns about financing and costs and benefits. Since all the stations of Bucharest Metro were inaugurated without having platform screen doors, installing such doors would require retrofitting, namely the process of installing platform screen doors on a system that was not initially designed to accommodate such doors, which may be complex and difficult, especially if the type installed were to be full-height doors (rather than half-height doors or rope-doors which are more common in retrofitting, but have limited benefits compared to full height doors).
Bucharest Metro was the only one in the world that operated with passengers during testing.
In the 1980s, the speed of building the network (4 kilometers / year) placed the Bucharest Metro on the second place in the world, after Mexico City Metro.
The shortest distance between two adjacent stations is between Gara de Nord 2 (M4) and Basarab 2 (M4) and is 430 meters.