Drilling for first subway tunnel segment to Bucharest’s Otopeni Airport complete

Tunnelling machines completed the first tunnel segment between the future Tokyo and Băneasa Airport subway stations on Tuesday, August 19. The segment is part of the line connecting central Bucharest to its main airports - Băneasa and further on to Otopeni - in the north of the city.

Romanian transport minister Ciprian Șerban, who visited the construction site, noted the progress of the project. He said that the works are proceeding according to schedule, and that activity is ongoing day and night.

“The giant machine, 97 meters long, weighing approximately 600 tons, and whose cutting head has a diameter of 6.60 meters, completed the first tunnel segment started on April 9 this year on Line 2, between the future Tokyo subway station and the future Băneasa Airport subway station, on the south section of the future subway Line 6,” the minister announced.

According to the minister, the first underground segment completed so far on Line 2 represents a tunnel route of 902.04 meters excavated and 602 tunnel rings installed. This will be followed by the segment laid out on Line 1, currently under excavation, where TBM “Sfânta Ana” is operational. So far, the second TBM has dug over 406 meters and installed over 265 rings, heading towards Băneasa Airport.

The M6 subway line is one of Romania’s most significant infrastructure projects, with a total value of RON 7.8 billion (excluding VAT). The full route will stretch over 14.2 kilometers and include 12 stations between 1 Mai and Otopeni Airport.

Drilling on the first section officially began in April of this year.

As part of the construction project, two tunnel boring machines, or TBMs, named “Sfânta Maria” and “Sfânta Ana” (Saint Mary and Saint Ana), will excavate the underground tunnels with a length of 6.6 km, where the six stations and six interstation segments of subway Line 6, south section, 1 Mai - Tokyo, will be built.

(Photo source: Ciprian Serban on Facebook)