New trains to increase capacity on Brussels metro

Brussels public transport operator Stib has taken delivery of the first in a new series of metro trains, which will start to enter service from next year.

The M7 model is said to be more comfortable and offer more light, with an increased capacity of 742 instead of 712, wider doors and a floor that will line up perfectly with the platform level.

Enhanced safety equipment will make it possible to cut the gaps between each train from 2.5 to two minutes, thereby increasing capacity.

The new technology requires less human intervention - and the trains could eventually be programmed to operate without a driver in the future.

Stib has ordered 43 of the new trains from a Spanish supplier. The first was unveiled at the firm's depot in Haren on Monday.

It will undergo three months of tests before having passengers onboard from the start of next year. Another 21 vehicles are due to be delivered by 2022.

The new trains are planned for use on Stib's new metro line 3, which is being built between Albert (Forest) and Bordet (Evere).

Photo: Benoît Doppagne/Belga