Bucharest Metro Line M3

M3 (22.2 km (13.8 mi)) is one of the five lines of the Bucharest Metro. M3 Line runs from Anghel Saligny to Preciziei. It is the east-west line of the system. The line shares 8.67 km (5.39 mi) and 7 station with M1.[2]

Line M3
Politehnica station
Overview
StatusOperational
TerminiPreciziei
Anghel Saligny
Stations16
Service
TypeRapid transit
SystemBucharest Metro
Operator(s)Metrorex S.A.
Depot(s)Industriilor
Rolling stockBM1 (Astra IVA)
BM2 (Bombardier)
Ridership26949000 (2019)[1]
History
Opened19 August 1983 (1983-08-19)
as a M1 branch
Technical
Line length22.20 km (13.79 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification750 V DC third rail
Route map
Industriilor depot
 Preciziei
 Păcii
 Gorjului
 Lujerului
 Politehnica
M1 to Dristor
 Eroilor M5
 Izvor
 Piaţa Unirii M2
 Timpuri Noi
 Mihai Bravu
 Dristor M1
 Nicolae Grigorescu
M1 to Pantelimon
 1 Decembrie 1918
 Nicolae Teclu
 Anghel Saligny

History

The first part of the present-day M3 to be built was from Eroilor to Preciziei (at the time known as Industriilor) along with the line to Industriilor depot (nearby the ITB Militari depot), west of the station itself. This section was not a line on its own, but rather a branch of the M1, and it opened on 19 August 1983. During the communist period the 'M3' was the Gara de Nord - Dristor 2 section of what is today the M1.[3] Construction work on another branch, from from Nicolae Grigorescu to Anghel Saligny (at time named Leontin Sălăjan and Linia de Centură), began in 1988, but the work was halted in 1996 and the tunnels were flooded.[4]

Due to the very large gap between Pacii and Lujerului (then known as Armata Poporului) construction of Gorjului started. It was opened in two stages: the westbound platform in 1994 and the eastbound platform in 1998.

In the mid 2000s the route of the M3 was shortened from Pantelimon - Industriilor to Eroilor - Industriilor and the M3 became a shuttle service, similar to the M4.

In 2008 was finally also opened as a shuttle the long-overdue section from Nicolae Grigorescu to Linia de Centură, whose construcion works resumed in 2004 as an extension of the M4.[4] Because a line composed of two unconnected shuttles was very impractical, on 4 July 2009 the two branches from Preciziei and Anghel Saligny were linked sharing tracks with the M1 between Eroilor and Nicolae Grigorescu and thus forming the M3 as it is operated today.

Rolling Stock
An old IVA train at Lujerului.

The M3 uses Astra IVA and Bombardier Movia trains. The IVA trains were used exclusively until 2009, when the first Movia trains were introduced on the M3, and services from Preciziei to Anghel Saligny commenced. In 2014, after the arrival of new CAF trains and the migration of Movia trains from the M2 to the M3 was complete, the old trains were no longer needed. IVA trains were reintroduced in 2020, when 8 Movia train sets were transferred to the new Line 5.[5]

Name changes
StationPrevious name(s)Years
Preciziei Industriilor 1983–2009
Lujerului Armata Poporului 1983–2009
Nicolae Teclu Policolor 2008–2009
Anghel Saligny Linia de Centură 2008–2009

Extensions

An extension from Păcii towards the A1 Motorway and the Western Industrial Park is planned for 2030.[6]

References
  1. "Activity Report 2019" (PDF). Metrorex S.A. p. 38. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  2. "Activity Report 2018" (PDF). Metrorex S.A. p. 6. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  3. Ovenden, Mark (2007). Transit Maps of the World (2nd ed.). Penguin Books. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-14-311265-5.
  4. Ciugudean, V.; Stefanescu, I.; Arghiroiu, O. (May 2002). Ozdemir, Levent (ed.). Monitoring measures for underground rehabilitation of Line 4 Bucharest, Romania. North American Tunneling Conference. Seattle: CRC Press. pp. 57–67. ISBN 9-05-809376-X. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  5. "Trenurile Bombardier încep probele pe M5 Drumul Taberei – Eroilor iar trenurile IVA au revenit pe M3" [Bombardier trains start tests on M5 Drumul Taberei - Eroilor and IVA trains have returned on M3]. mobilitate.eu (in Romanian). 23 May 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-21.
  6. Vlad Ignat. "Păianjenul Metrorex schimbă harta Capitalei. Bucureştenii se mută în subteran, din 2030" [Metrorex's Web Project changes the map of Bucharest. Bucharest moves underground by 2030]. Adevărul (in Romanian). Retrieved 2014-05-07.
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