M5 metro line to open to public today, after 14:00hrs

The M5 Bucharest Metro line Raul Doamnei - Eroilor section, including Valea Ialomitei will become operational for the public today after 14:00hrs, according to a press statement released by Metrorex.

The Raul Doamnei - Eroilor section, including the Valea Ialomitei station and depot, is funded on non-reimbursable external funds under the POS-T 2007 - 2013 operational programme transport, operational programme large infrastructure 2014-2020 (85%) and the national budget (15%).

Work on it began in November 2011, and the value of the project is about 3.2 billion lei. The eligible value of the project is about 2.3 billion lei, of which the contribution of the European Commission under the Cohesion Fund - amounting to 85% of the eligible value of the project - is about 2 billion lei, according to Metrorex.

The M5 - Raul Doamnei - Eroilor section offers a high capacity transport route and a means of connection between the southwestern part of Bucharest (Drumul Taberei District) and the city center, on a length of about 7 km (10 subway stations).

Metrorex representatives emphasise that the trains will run at a maximum speed of 80km/ h, "at an optimal interval between trains", on the Raul Doamnei - Eroilor section, including Valea Ialomitei. In the final phase, there will be one every two minutes.

According to Metrorex, the project contributes to the achievement of objectives such as: increasing the efficiency of transport in terms of speed, through time savings that the new underground transport line will provide; increasing the attractiveness of subway transport, compared to road transport, and consequently, reducing the number of accidents, reducing damage to the road network; achieving fuel economy and maintenance; reducing travel times; reducing pollution (exhaust gases, noise, vibrations) by relieving surface transport both public and private, with important consequences on improving the quality of life and the state of the environment.