Construction of metro connecting Bucharest to airport to begin in March-April

Construction works for the first part of the M6 subway line in Bucharest, which will stretch as far as Băneasa, are to begin in March or April of 2023. Once complete, the line will connect the city to Otopeni Airport.

Bids for the design and execution of the second part of the line, which will reach Otopeni Airport, can be submitted by the beginning of next month. Three companies have already qualified as bidders in the first stage and will participate in the final stage of the process.

The M6 metro line will have 12 stations and will be entirely constructed by Turkey-based companies. Once finished, it will connect Gara de Nord train station to Otopeni Airport.

“The contract for the Gara de Nord – Băneasa section was signed in March, the designing stage was given the go-ahead, and it will be over in 9 months, quite an ambitious deadline for designing a metro line,” Ionel Scrioșteanu, an official within the Transportation Ministry, told Economedia. “For the second section, Băneasa-Otopeni Airport, I believe that September 5 is the deadline. There are three companies that made the cut, they will submit their final offers, and one will be selected,” he added.

The tender has an estimated value of RON 1.3 bln (EUR 266 mln), and it includes the construction of the support structure of the subway line, along with the stations and tunnels. Other elements of the line, including the electric equipment and the tracks, will be the subject of a new tender estimated at around RON 500 mln (EUR 102.4 mln). A third tender will be for the safety and automation system.

The estimated cost for the entire project is RON 2.38 bln (EUR 487.5 mln).

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