Alstom was awarded 135 million euros’ contract by Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) in 2025. The Chennai Metro Phase II spans approximately 119 km with over 76 km elevated and 43 km underground across three corridors and their inter-corridor sections.
Alstom will manufacture 32 metro trainsets in three-car configurations and provide 15 years of comprehensive maintenance after the warranty period. Under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, these Metropolis trains are designed at Alstom’s engineering centre in Bengaluru (Karnataka) and built at its facility in Sri City.
“We value our long-standing partnership with CMRL. Our work together began with Chennai’s first metro rail project which also led to the setting up of our Sri City facility to build trains for Chennai Metro Phase I. From modern metro trains to advanced driverless trains, we are proud to contribute to CMRL’s urban rail mobility ambitions. The recent delivery completion of the 108 cars for corridor 4, and now the start of production of additional trainsets reinforces our enduring association with CMRL today and for the future,” Olivier Loison, Managing Director – Alstom India said in a statement.
Configured for Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4) driverless operations with an operational speed of 80 km/h, Alstom’s Metropolis trains feature regenerative braking and advanced cybersecurity. Each three-car trainset accommodates up to 900 passengers, equipped with air conditioning, perch seats, CCTV cameras, real-time passenger information displays, and dedicated spaces for women and differently abled commuters, the company said.
Manufacturing milestone follows the successful completion and delivery of all 36 Metropolis trainsets – a total of 108 cars) which power the commencement of revenue passenger operations on Phase II’s 26 km Corridor 4 connecting Poonamallee Bypass to Light House across 28 stations, 18 of which are elevated and 10 are underground). Valued at €102 million and awarded in 2023, the Corridor 4 contract covered design, manufacturing, testing, commissioning, and training. Deliveries were finalised in October 2026.
Since being awarded its first contract by CMRL in 2010, Alstom has delivered 208 metro cars for Phase I. Additionally, Alstom in consortium with Larsen & Toubro constructed track work covering 86 track kilometres across Corridors I and II. Aligning with India’s mobility upgrade efforts, Alstom has delivered metro trains to Delhi, Chennai, Lucknow, Kochi, Mumbai, Pune, Agra-Kanpur, and Indore-Bhopal, resulting in every third metro in India being made by Alstom.
