The public transportation system in Lausanne, Switzerland recently signed a 295 million euro contract with Alstom to replace the new CBTC signaling system and renovate trains for Switzerland's only metro line M2. The total length of the line is 5.9 kilometers, with 14 stations, and has transported over 36.1 million passengers since its opening in 2008.

Fully automatic subway with a new brain

The biggest special feature of the M2 line is that it is currently the only subway system in Switzerland and one of the few fully autonomous urban rail transit lines. The entire line adopts rubber tire trains, connecting Ouchi and Croizet, running through the east-west transportation corridor of the Lausanne metropolitan area.

After nearly 17 years of operation, the signal system has reached the update node. Alstom will provide the Urbalis Fluennce CBTC system, whose core logic is "train centric" - moving signal processing capabilities from the ground to the train, significantly reducing the installation of trackside equipment. For the M2 line, this means directly increasing the departure density and operating speed without building new tracks or expanding platforms.

The contract also includes the mid-term renovation of 18 double car trains on the M2 line. The renovation work will be completed at the Alstom factory in Villeneuve, Switzerland, covering interior updates and comprehensive replacement of onboard equipment. The train control and monitoring system will be deeply integrated with the new CBTC to achieve an integrated closed-loop of signal and control.

Night construction, non-stop during the day

The biggest challenge is the construction window. The daily average passenger flow of Line M2 remains stable at over 130000, with an annual passenger volume of approximately 48 million in 2024 and peak hour section passenger flow exceeding 12000. Any prolonged shutdown will trigger a chain reaction.

Alstom's plan is to arrange all installation and testing during the nighttime skylight period, while the daytime line will operate as usual. Simultaneously providing full cycle technical support and equipment aging management services to ensure a smooth transition after the new system goes live.

The Lausanne transportation management department has high hopes for this upgrade. Patricia Solioz Mathys, Managing Director of TL, believes that since the opening of the M2 line in October 2008, it has proven the feasibility of autonomous subway systems in small and medium-sized cities. Behind the data of 36.1 million passengers is the supporting role of a route in the entire metropolitan transportation network. With the continuous growth of Lausanne's population and the expansion of the metropolitan area, improving the capacity of the M2 line is not only a matter of the route, but also related to the overall efficiency of the regional public transportation system. Keywords: subway, urban transportation

From signals to trains, from night construction to daytime operation, 295 million euros were thrown down in exchange for a subway that has been running for 17 years and will run for the next 17 years.Editor/Cheng Liting