Tokyo Metro and Sumitomo Corporation, in partnership with Go-Ahead Holdings of the UK, have been awarded the contract to operate the Elizabeth Line by Transport for London (TfL).
The three companies have established a venture, GTS Rail Operations, in which Tokyo Metro and Sumitomo Corporation will each hold a 17.5% stake. The contract spans seven years, with an option to extend for up to an additional 2.5 years, to a maximum of approximately 9.5 years. They will take over operations from the current operator, MTR Corporation (UK), and start operations in May 2025.
This marks Tokyo Metro’s first venture into overseas railway operations and Sumitomo Corporation’s first railway operation in the UK, promoting the overseas expansion of high-quality Japanese transportation and infrastructure projects.
The final candidates for the bid included Arriva UK Trains, a joint venture between FirstGroup and Keolis named First Keolis Elizabethline, Go-Ahead Holdings in partnership with Sumitomo Corporation and Tokyo Metro as GTS Rail Operations, and the local entity of Hong Kong Railways, MTR Corporation (UK).
The Elizabeth Line, which opened in May 2022, spans 117 kilometers, connecting 41 stations including London Heathrow Airport, Reading, Shenfield, and Abbey Wood. It operates up to 24 trains per hour at peak times.
Notice
This article was generated using automatic translation by GPT-4 API. The translation may not be accurate.
