Bucharest Metro Line M2

M2 (18.7 km (11.6 mi))[1] is one of the four lines of metro of the Bucharest Metro. The M2 Line runs from Pipera to Berceni, thus linking the north to the south of the city. The line is the busiest on the system, passing through a multitude of neighbourhoods, and also the only line to serve the centre of the city.

Line M2
Pipera Aurel Vlaicu Aviatorilor Piața Victoriei M1 Piața Romană Universitate Piața Unirii M1M3 Tineretului Eroii Revolutiei Constantin Brâncoveanu Piața Sudului Apărătorii Patriei Dimitrie Leonida Berceni planned extension ↓ planned extension   Berceni Centură

History

The line was built during the 1980s when the industrial development in Romania was in full swing. A north-south metro line was crucial, seeing as other methods of public transport were very crowded and cars were very rare. As such the construction of this line was prioritised over others such as the M4, which was only completed recently. The building of the M2 line led to the removal in 1987 of the trolleybus lines linking Berceni to Băneasa; those lines, put in place in 1962, were made obsolete by the opening of the metro, according to the city planners at the time.

A CAF train on the left alongside two Movia trains on the right.

The M2 line was opened in two steps:

1. Berceni – Piața Unirii on 24 January 1986;
2. Piata Unirii – Pipera on 25 October 1987.[2]

A unique station on the Bucharest Metro is Piața Romană, which was not in the initial plan. It was built after the rest of the line was opened in 1987, and this can be noticed easily; the platforms are very narrow and the pillars are massive. The station opened on 28 November 1988.

As it stands now, the line is currently overcapacity due to the massive amount of commuters using the line, and also the gap left due to the removal of trolleybus lines. Aside from this, the line infrastructure has reached its maximum age usage, and is prone to various incidents. Metrorex announced on 30 May 2019 that the line will undergo renovations over a 48-month period, although a beginning date on the works has yet to be announced.

Rolling Stock

The M2 uses new, CAF trains. The CAF trains were bought in 2014 so that the Movia trains could run on the M1 and M3, replacing the old, Astra IVA trains that were moved to the new line of M4.

Name Changes

Station	Previous name(s)	Years
Eroii Revoluției	Pieptănari	1986–1989
Dimitrie Leonida	IMGB	1987–2009
Berceni	Depoul IMGB	1987–2009

Extensions

An extension toward the Bucharest South Ring Road with one station has been approved and is due to start construction. The provisional name of the new station is currently Berceni Centură. [3]

References

1. Bucharest Metro at urbanrail.net
2. "M2 Line on the Construim Romania forum".
3. https://www.economica.net/statie-noua-de-metrou-bucuresti-berceni-centura-primaria-sectorului-4-somet_183488.html