Bucharest Light rail

The Bucharest light rail (Metroul ușor or "light metro") is a light rail transit system in Bucharest, Romania.

Operated by the Societatea de Transport București (STB), the municipal public transit operator, the service is technically similar to a light rail and not to a light metro system.

History
Light rail use more modern rolling stock than trams and also run on separate designated corridors for faster travel times.

The first line (41) was opened in 2002, and runs through the west part of the city (from FC Steaua București's Ghencea Stadium in the south-west, to the House of the Free Press in the north). (41) tram line is single on its route, meeting other lines only at the end, the 3 route at Piața Presei Libere and the 47 route at Ghencea. Since 10 December 2022, there are between 18 and 20 new trams Astra Imperio Metropolitan on this route, depending on the period and the availability of trams (faults, inspection, revisions). V3A-CH-PPC and V3A-CA-PPC are still available on this route. Probably in the future, more Imperio will be available on 41 as they continue to come. Routes 40 and 55 are also to receive Imperio, but the lines is not modernized (40) or partial (55), therefore some Imperio trams for 40 and 55 may be rerouted on 41, if they are not modernized fast enough.

Light rail tram lines 32 and 21 are considered light rail due to their low waiting times, superior speed and segregated pathways. They also use new or modernized rolling stock. 32 is single until Calea Ferentari where it meets 11 for a short distance 23 from Calea Ferentari to 11 Iunie Street and 7, 27 and 47 from 11 Iunie until its end at Piața Unirii. 21 is mainly single on its route, sharing the line and stops with tram routes 16 and 5 from Piața Sf. Gheorghe to Strada Paleologu. At Bucur Obor (Șoseaua Colentina), it meets route 36 for a short distance, although they have no common stops. From Obor to the other end, it is again single. Both 32 and 21 are to receive new Astra Imperio Metropolitan trams. Modernised V3A-CH-PPC and V3A-CA-PPC will also be available on these two routes. Lines 1 and 10 are considered light rail; due to recent modernizations, these routes use upgraded tracks for almost the entire line and mostly new rolling stock. They form a ring around central Bucharest, with line 10 running services clockwise (from Romprim – Piața Sudului – Șura Mare – Șoseaua Viilor – Pasaj Basarab – Bucur Obor – Pod Mihai Bravu – Piața Sudului – Romprim) and line 1 running services counterclockwise (from Romprim – Piața Sudului – Pod Mihai Bravu – Bucur Obor – Pasaj Basarab – Șoseaua Viilor – Șura Mare – Piața Sudului – Romprim). In 2021, it entered in rehabilitation, from Bd Timișoara to Șoseaua Grizăvești, in order to accommodate new rolling stock. The lines got deviated again due to a fire at an electric transformer station on Nițu Vasile Str. which closed temporary trams and trolleybuses from Piața Sudului (South Square) to Romprim and Turnu Măgurele (trolleybus line 73). Lines 1 and 10 are going left (1) and right (10) at Piața Sudului Roundabout. Trams are now having the terminal at Șura Mare, used by line 19 in the past, and then continue the ring. Also line 10 got Imperio trams from Militari depot starting from May 2023, but also fleet will be constituted from Bucur LF, and V3A-CH-PPPC and probably V3A-93, depending on the demand. Line 1 will also receive Astra Imperio Metropolitan.

Line 25, which appeared in 2007 as a temporary line to replace 35, during Pasaj Basarab works, got highly successful. It has a short waiting time, and quite fast travel, so it is considered light rail by many citizens, owing to its fully modernised track and quite high speed and high demand. Only downside might have been considered old rolling stock, but 12 new trams, full low floor, Imperio Metropolitan started to run on this line from March 8th 2023. However, older trams (V3A-93 and Bucur V2A-T in some cases, mainly in weekends) and modernized trams (V3A-CH-PPC and V3A-CA-PPC) are still part of the fleet for line 25 because the demand is higher than 12 trams. Probably in the future, more Imperio will be available on 25 as they continue to come. Routes 40 and 55 are also to receive Imperio, but the line is not modernized (40) or partial (55), therefore some Imperio trams for 40 and 55 may be rerouted on 25. Also, as Line 32 receives Imperio, it is desired that line 25 to be only with Imperio and V3A-CH-PPC and CA-PPC, to remove all the vehicles without low floor sections.

All of these lines received new rolling stock from December 10, 2022, starting from route 41. While 40 and 55 are also to receive Imperio, their infrastructure is still not modernized (40) or just partially (line 55). In this case, if the trams will come and these infrastructures will not be modernized in time, the fleet for these two lines will be redirected to other lines ( mainly 41, 25 and 32, but also some may complete 1, 10 and 21), and 40 and 55 will be on a new tender. Also 55 may be shortened or redirected in case new trams for this route come and route will not be modernized. 40 needs to be heavily overhauled because over 75% of this line is deteriorated.