Buenos Aires selected Chinese firm CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles as the supplier of metro trains in what marks the largest fleet renewal for Line B since the early 2000s. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Buenos Aires selected Chinese firm CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles as the supplier of metro trains in what marks the largest fleet renewal for Line B since the early 2000s.
Photo: SBASE

The state operator SBASE approved a $243 million contract for the delivery of 29 six-car trainsets. CRRC agreed to finance at least 80% of the total project value.

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CRRC won the tender by offering a bid 10.6% lower than the estimated contract value. Its offer surpassed those from India’s BEML and China’s CITIC Group in the final evaluation round.

Alstom and several Western manufacturers withdrew from the bidding. Local media reported that the key barrier was the tender requirement for partial financing by suppliers.

Updated Metro Trains to Replace Obsolete Fleet

The new metro trains will replace CAF/Alstom Series 6000 trains and Japanese-made rolling stock that has been in use for over 60 years. This will improve safety and comfort on the city’s busiest line.

The 3.1-meter-wide trainsets will feature full walk-through gangways. This design will increase passenger capacity and enhance flow between cars.

Metro Trains to Feature Advanced Digital Systems

Each metro train will be equipped with standard automatic block signaling. CRRC also offers the option to install CBTC, enabling automation level GoA2 operation.

Three lines in the Buenos Aires metro already use CBTC technology. The planned upgrade ensures system-wide compatibility and supports future digital integration.

The tender was launched in August 2023. During the process, the order size increased from 16 to 29 trainsets, and the required contact voltage was raised from 600V to 1.5kV.

This voltage upgrade aligns with the city’s unified power strategy. It will help reduce long-term operational costs and improve overall network reliability.

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