Siemens, partners deliver automated peoplemover for Frankfurt Airport
The company will deliver 12 fully automated two-car trains equipped with GoA4 Communication Based Train Control Trainguard MT CBTC, the track work equipment, the station platform doors, communication system, depot equipment, and the power supply system.
The Airval is a fully automated passenger transport system running on rubber tires and using a central rail guidance system. It offers high performance with short headways and is fitted with an energy management system that ensures high operating efficiency.
Siemens
2 min to read
The Airval is a fully automated passenger transport system running on rubber tires and using a central rail guidance system. It offers high performance with short headways and is fitted with an energy management system that ensures high operating efficiency.
Siemens
Fraport AG, operator of the Frankfurt Airport, commissioned Siemens, lead in a consortium with Max Bögl Group and Keolis Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, to deliver a fully automated Airval peoplemover. The Airval will connect the Terminal 2 with the new Terminal 3 and the Station at Terminal 1. The line will be approximately 3.5 miles long, and have two tracks and three stations.
Siemens will deliver 12 fully automated two-car trains equipped with GoA4 Communication Based Train Control Trainguard MT CBTC, the track work equipment, the station platform doors, communication system, depot equipment, and the power supply system. In addition, Siemens will take over the operation and maintenance of the system for five years with an option to extend service for another five years. The Airval system will be designed and developed at Siemens' Val world center of competence in Toulouse, France.
Ad Loading...
The fully automated people mover is scheduled to begin service at the Frankfurt Airport in 2023.
The Airval is a fully automated passenger transport system running on rubber tires and using a central rail guidance system. It offers high performance with short headways and is fitted with an energy management system that ensures high operating efficiency.
The Airval trains will operate at the Frankfurt Airport with two-minute headway, 24-hours a day and seven days a week. In peak periods, the trains in Frankfurt can carry over 4,000 passengers per hour and per direction. The trains have a top speed of approximately 49 mph, while large doors and spacious aisles ease entries and exits and provide generous space for baggage. On-board Internet access and information displays enhance passenger comfort and convenience.
Val systems from Siemens are already operating at the Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly Airports in Paris as well as at the O'Hare Airport in Chicago. Val systems also operate as metro lines, such as in the French cities of Lille, Rennes, and Toulouse; in Uijeongbu, South Korea; and in Turin, Italy.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
In this edition, we cover recent appointments and announcements at HDR, MCTS, and more, showcasing the individuals helping to shape the future of transportation.
This final component of the 2 Line will cross Lake Washington and connect with the 1 Line at International District/Chinatown Station, creating a fully integrated regional light rail system.
Expected to enter service in 2029, these locomotives support the agency’s commitment to offer reliable and efficient rail transportation across South Florida.