Algiers Metro


The Algiers Metro is a rapid transit system that serves Algiers, the capital of Algeria. Originally designed in the 1970s, it opened in 2011 after decades of delays due to financial difficulties and security issues. The Algiers Metro was the second metro system to open in Africa, after the Cairo Metro.
The first phase of Line 1, "Haï el Badr"–"Tafourah-Central Post Office", which had a length of and comprised 10 stations, opened for public service on 1 November 2011. A extension from "Haï el Badr" to "El Harrach Centre" opened for commercial service on 4 July 2015 after test runs in June.

History

During the 1970s, the promoters of the Algiers rapid transit subway project envisioned a network. The project was officially inaugurated in 1982, with technical studies completed in 1985. Authorities retained a German company and a Japanese specialist for building the network. The collapse of oil prices in the 1980s considerably affected the Algerian state's ability to continue funding the project. Authorities discussed the possibility of folding the subway development programme into other mass-transit projects but eventually decided to continue with the original Metro program, albeit slowly.
In 1988–89, Algeria awarded construction contracts to two national companies: COSIDER and GENISIDER. Neither was experienced in running large urban transit development projects. Construction encountered financial and political difficulties, with only four stations being constructed in 15 years. Moreover, the Algiers soil is difficult to dig in, and the city's topography is irregular. Work did not advance significantly for many years.
In 1994, the first long section, called Emir-Abdelkader, was completed. Another section, connecting the Central Post Office to Khélifa-Boukhalfa, was completed soon after. In 1999, the Metro of Algiers Company invited international companies to participate in a tender offering, resulting in two new contractors being added to the project: French Systra-Sgte for project management, and Agéro-German GAAMA for construction and completion, within 38 months, of the civil engineering tasks and earthworks.
In 2003, benefiting from the return of economic stability and improved security, the government increased funding and introduced a new organisational and operational structure.
In January 2006, further changes were introduced to the project, with integrated systems development handed to Siemens Transportation Systems. This included the installation of fixed material, signals and electrification. Vinci was responsible for civil engineering, and the Spanish company Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles was to deliver a new set of rolling stock, including 14 trains of 6 cars each. The network would use the Trainguard MT CBTC technology, which had already been implemented on line 1 and line 14 of the Paris Métro.

System

With a length of, the first section of Line 1 to open included ten stations, connecting Tafourah–Grande Poste to Haï El Badr. Nine of the ten stations are underground with two central tracks flanked by two long side platforms. Only the Haï El Badr terminus station is on the surface and it has three tracks and two island platforms.
  • The El Hamma - Haï El Badr section, with its 4 stations and 17 other works for ventilation and cables was carried out within 38 months. Civil engineering work and rail laying were officially completed on 30 June 2007.
  • The installation and the welding of of tracks were started in April 2007 by the French company South-western Travaux France with the first metro car to be delivered to Algiers by December 2007.
In July 2015, this was supplemented by the opening of the, four-station expansion from "Haï el Badr" to "El Harrach Centre". The system now serves 14 stations, over a total route length of approximately.

Stations

NameCommunityNotes
Place des MartyrsCasbah of Algiers2018
Ali BoumendjelAlger Centre2018
Tafourah - Grande PosteAlger Centre2011
Khelifa BoukhalfaAlger Centre2011
1er MaiSidi M'Hamed2011
Aïssat IdirSidi M'Hamed2011
HammaBelouizdad2011
Jardin d'essaiBelouizdad2011
Les FusillésHussein Dey2011
Cité AmiroucheHussein Dey2011
Cité Mer et SoleilHussein Dey2011
Haï El BadrEl Magharia2011
El Harrach GareBourouba2015
El Harrach CentreEl Harrach2015
Bachdjarah - TennisBachdjerrah2015
BachdjarahBachdjerrah / Bourouba2015
Les AteliersBachdjerrah2018
Gué de ConstantineDjasr Kasentina2018
Ain NaadjaDjasr Kasentina2018

Operations

The total cost of the first phase of line 1 rose to 77 billion DZD, consisting of DZD 30 billion for civil engineering and DZD 47 billion for the equipment.
  • 14 six-car trains are being used. Each train is 108m in length with 208 seats and can transport 1,216 people.
  • The metro line can move 41,000 passengers per hour, the equivalent of 150 million passengers per year, with a headway of under 2 minutes. Trains can travel at speeds of up to, and the line is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
  • The metro's daily operation is the responsibility of the RATP Group, which was awarded the contract in August 2007.

    Extensions

Invitations to tender were launched for the construction of a section between Bachdjarrah and El Harrach composed of 4 stations and one viaduct long, across the access road to the Ouchaïah Wadi motorway. It opened for public service on 4 July 2015.
  • The Gaama group which carried out the first section quoted 250 million euros including the construction of a multimodal station at the El Harrach railway station.
Two other extensions to Line 1 had a planned public opening in 2017:
  • a branch line from Haï El Badr to Aïn Naâdja.
  • an extension north from Tafourah Grande Poste to Place des Martyrs
  • Extensions
Line 1 is undergoing 3 extension plans:
1/"El Harrach Centre" - "Aéroport International d'Alger ", this western extension is 9.5 km long with 9 stations and will provide service to Dar El Beïda District and Houari Boumediene International Airport.
2/"Ain Naadja" - "Cité 2004 logements ", this western extension is 6 km long with 6 stations and will provide service to Baraki District.
3/"Place des Martyrs " - "Triolet", this eastern extension is 1.8 km long with 3 stations and will provide access to Bab El Oued Municipality.
  • Planned extensions
A/Line 1:
1/"Triolet" - "Chevalley", this eastern extension is 7.5 km long with 5 stations and will provide access to Bouzaréah District.
2/"Chevalley" - "Rostomia - Complexe Olympic Mohamed Boudiaf ", this extension is 1.5 km long with 1 station and will provide access to Dely Brahim Municipality.
3/"Rostomia - Complexe Olympic Mohamed Boudiaf " - "Ouled Fayet", this south-eastern extension is 8.8 km long with 8 stations and will provide access to Cheraga District.
4/"Rostomia - Complexe Olympic Mohamed Boudiaf " - "Draria", this southern extension is 5.5 km long with 7 stations and will provide access to Draria District.
5/"Aéroport International d'Alger " - "Pole Hammadi ", this western extension is 6.1 km long with 3 stations and will provide access to Rouiba District, a suburb of Algiers city rather than a part of the city itself.
6/"Cité 2004 logements " - "Eucalyptus Gare ", this western extension is 6 km long with 5 stations and will provide access to Eucalytus Municipality.
7/"Draria" - "Douira", this southern extension is 7.4 km long with 6 stations and will provide access to Douera Municipality.
8/"Ouled Fayet" - "Dzair Media City", this western extension is 3.1 km long with 2 stations and will provide access to "Dzair Media City".
B/Line 2:
1/

Network map