Monday, January 20, 2025 Alstom, a frontrunner in innovative and eco-friendly transportation solutions, has agreed to provide the Métropole Européenne de Lille (MEL) with an additional fifteen new-generation, 52-meter automated metro trainsets, valued at approximately 210 million euros. These units will augment the existing fleet of 27 trainsets previously procured by MEL, all equipped with the cutting-edge Urbalis Fluence signalling and automated control system. Starting in 2028, these latest trainsets will phase out the older VAL-208 models.
This acquisition is a key component of the overarching strategy to upgrade the Lille metro infrastructure, aiming to introduce modern rolling stock and revamp the automated train management system to enhance service efficiency on lines 1 and 2. “Alstom is delighted with this new order from the Métropole Européenne de Lille for this new-generation equipment. These new, modern and comfortable metros represent a considerable asset for improving the network and the passenger experience,” said Frédéric Wiscart, President of Alstom France .
The newly designed metro trains, utilizing Alstom’s advanced rubber-tyred technology, will offer heightened comfort, better accessibility, and improved passenger information systems. Capable of holding up to 545 passengers, these trains will feature a “boa” configuration—allowing unrestricted movement through wide gangways across all four cars—thus facilitating easier passenger tr.
