CAF has secured two new contracts to supply metro units based on its INNEO platform. The company will manufacture 13 units for the Medellín Metro and 6 units for the Santiago de Chile metro. The combined value of the contracts exceeds €200 million.
These contracts further consolidate CAF's foothold in the Latin American market, where it continues to undertake major projects involving the supply and maintenance of railway units, as well as rolling stock concessions, in countries including Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela and Ecuador, besides the aforementioned projects in Colombia and Chile.
The Supply of 13 units for the Medellín Metro
The operator of the Medellín Metro, Empresa de Transporte Masivo del Valle de Aburrá Limitada - Metro de Medellín LTDA., has awarded CAF a contract for the design and supply of 13 metro trains for its metropolitan network. The contract provides for the final assembly and testing to be conducted at the Metro facilities, as specified by the Colombian authorities in the tender documents.
The new units will be similar to those previously supplied by CAF, consisting of 3 cars each and fully compatible with the fleet currently in operation. They will be used on lines A and B to meet the expected increase in passenger demand in the coming years.
Home to over 2.5 million inhabitants, Medellín is the second most densely populated city in Colombia and a renowned pioneer in sustainable urban transportation solutions. Inaugurated in 1995, Colombia's only metro network carries over 1 million passengers daily, making it the country's primary public transit system and one of the most prestigious metro systems in Latin America.
CAF's long-standing relationship with Metro Medellín reflects the customer's continued satisfaction with the stock previously supplied by CAF. It is also worth noting that between 2009 and 2018, CAF has delivered 38 units to Metro Medellín. More recently, CAF has also completed the comprehensive refurbishment of another 42 units making up the MAN fleet with which Metro Medellín began operating the system in the 1990s.
Santiago de Chile to get another 6 Metro Units
In addition, the Chilean state-owned company, Empresa de Transporte de Pasajeros Metro S.A. - Metro Santiago, has once again selected CAF to supply and maintain its metro units. This marks the latest in a series of orders for CAF, which has already supplied nearly 80 units for lines 1, 3 and 6 of the Chilean capital's metro system.
This time, CAF will design, supply and maintain 6 new 5-car units for the Line 6 extensions. The new units will be equipped with the GoA4 automatic driving system, as were the 41 trains previously supplied by CAF for Lines 3 and 6. This railway system operates at the highest level of automation, with all functions - including driving, door opening and closing, safety, and overall train operation - fully automated and controlled remotely from a central command centre. There are no crew members on board the trains.
As the leading public transport operator in the Chilean capital city, Metro de Santiago is committed to providing comprehensive services. The company is currently undertaking the challenge of extending Line 6 both eastward and westward using cutting-edge technology. For all these reasons, Metro de Santiago is an invaluable customer for CAF, as it is one of the most technology advanced operators, both locally and internationally.
