Siemens Mobility will upgrade all 170 kilometres of the S-bane in Copenhagen to the highest grade of automation (GoA4 technology). This will enable unattended train operations on the network, with the first phase commencing in 2030.
GoA4 will allow the operator to run more trains on the network, enhance the level of passenger experience and secure the punctuality rate.
Siemens has signed contracts with Banedanmark and DSB including the necessary signalling equipment for trains and wayside. The contracts have a total volume of around 270 million euros and build on the original contract from 2011 to equip the S-bane network with the Communications-Based Train Control System (CBTC).
Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, said: "We are very proud to continue and enhance our successful collaboration with Banedanmark and DSB to position the thriving city of Copenhagen as a model for modern rail infrastructure among European capitals.
"By implementing our best-in-class signalling technology by 2033, trains will be capable of operating automatically and driverless. This will make the new S-bane the world's largest automatic urban railway."
Jürgen Müller, Director Strategy & Train Equipment at DSB, said: "The Copenhagen S-bane is already today a well performing railway system serving the greater Copenhagen area and with implementation of the "Future S-bane" programme it will evolve into one of the world’s largest and most complex fully automated mass transit systems which will provide an even better service to our passengers."
The CBTC GoA4 technology upgrade will be carried out in five phases. The first phase, which will cover a stretch between stations København Syd and Hellerup, will begin its trial phase in mid-2030, with passengers operations commencing by the end of that year.
Under a phased approach, a mix of existing GoA2 and new driverless GoA4 trains will operate until 2038, when the final GoA4 trains will be delivered.
Two depots at Hundige and Høje Taastrup will also be equipped with radio-based communication systems, extending the reachability of all trains.
The S-bane’s core network has the capacity to handle up to 84 trains every hour, transporting over 100 million passengers annually across 88 stations on seven lines. The network also transports 350,000 commuters per day, a figure which continues to increase. Upgrading the network to support unattended train operations will cater to this trend.
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