Siemens Mobility Upgrades Mexico City Metro Line One

Siemens Mobility completed the digital modernization of the signaling system on the Mexico City Metro Line one, delivering a Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) system that replaces legacy infrastructure and increases operational capacity. The segment between Juanacatlan and Observatorio reopened to the public following the completion of installation activities.

 “The modernization of Line one of the Metro represents an important milestone for Mexico City. By implementing our CBTC technology, we are enabling faster and more reliable operations, establishing a new reference for mobility in the region,” says Liubov Schachtner, CEO, Siemens Mobility Latin America and Brazil.

According to Siemens Mobility, the project is part of a multi-year effort to replace signaling infrastructure that had been in use for roughly five decades. Authorities selected CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive as the main contractor, and Siemens Mobility was integrated as a key partner responsible for signaling, train control, and digitalization systems across the 18.6km line.

Line one is the oldest corridor in the Mexico City Metro network and supports high passenger density. The signaling upgrade responds to long-standing operational requirements for higher throughput, real-time control capabilities, and lower infrastructure maintenance costs. The project also aligns with broader public transportation policies in the city, which emphasize system reliability, energy optimization, and network expansion to meet increasing urban mobility demand.

Siemens Mobility reports that the modernization includes the deployment of its Trainguard MT CBTC platform, which enables moving-block operation. This approach uses continuous communication between on-board equipment and the central control system to determine train separation based on real-time positioning. Siemens Mobility says that this configuration increases line capacity by up to 15% and enables minimum intervals of 100 seconds between trains.

The company provided on-board systems for 29 new NM-22 trains and 10 refurbished NM-16 trains. Installed components include the Onboard Control Unit, the Driver Machine Interface, radar systems, balise antennas, and the Onboard Gateway. Additional equipment was deployed in seven technical rooms along the line, including Westrace interlockings, Trainguard MT components, Airlink communication units, R-9K systems, TCM-100 units, and power distribution cabinets. Siemens Mobility also installed signaling equipment along the 18.6km track from Pantitlan to Observatorio.

“The success of Line one modernization reflects the value of collaboration. Integrating Siemens Mobility CBTC technology with our new rolling stock has delivered a high-performance transportation system for Mexico City,” says Gao Feng, Vice President and Legal Representative in Mexico, CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive.

Siemens Mobility indicates that the project will reduce operational disruptions by improving system redundancy, centralizing diagnostics, and enabling predictive maintenance. The company highlights that the digital system optimizes energy use through speed profile management, which reduces traction power requirements and supports lower operational expenses for the Sistema de Transporte Colectivo.

The project includes a 16 year maintenance contract through which Siemens Mobility will conduct preventive and corrective maintenance on all CBTC-related assets delivered under the EPC scope. This includes on-board units, trackside signaling components, and equipment located in technical rooms across the line. The company says that long-term maintenance agreements are an integral part of its service strategy in Latin America, ensuring system continuity, technology lifecycle management, and standardized operating procedures for rail operators.

Siemens Mobility says that the modernization of Line one forms part of its broader participation in rail digitalization across Latin America. The company has previously delivered automation and electrification projects in the Dominican Republic, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. 

Following the reopening of the final section, authorities expect a progressive stabilization phase as operators calibrate the system under full-load conditions. The operational data collected in the coming months is expected to inform maintenance planning, energy strategies, and potential future enhancements in other lines of the Mexico City Metro network.

The company indicates that similar CBTC deployments may be evaluated for corridors with comparable demand patterns or modernization requirements in Mexico City.