Tunnel boring machine to start excavating Bucharest's future metro line M5 next week

Excavation for metro tunnels on the future new route Râul Doamnei – Eroilor in Bucharest will start on September 25, according to Bucharest metro company Metrorex. The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is already mounted into the structural wall and all devices for drilling have been activated. Metrorex, which previously announced work on the tunnel would start mid-September, said it had completed several other activities to prepare for the actual drilling. The structure of tunnels and metro stations on the segment should be completed by the beginning of next year, while the entire segment Râul Doamnei—Eroilor should be finished early 2016. Both tunnel boring machines working on the metro connecting Bucharest's Drumul Taberei area to downtown should start working in September. The Raul Doamnei – Eroilor segment will have 6.5 kilometers and ten metro stations and will be part of the longer Drumul Taberei – Pantelimon line, also called M5. The segment is being built by Astaldi, FCC and AB Construct, which won the EUR 215 million tender back in 2011. Bucharest has four metro lines, and 69 kilometers of metro tracks, with 51 stations. editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: Metrorex)