Bucharest Metro Line M3


M3 is one of the 4 lines of the Bucharest Metro. M3 Line runs from Anghel Saligny to Preciziei. It is the east-west line of the system.

History

The first part of the M3 was from Eroilor to Preciziei along with the line to Industriilor depot, some kilometres west of the station itself. This section was not a line on its own, but rather a branch of the M1, and it opened on 19 August 1983. During the communist period the 'M3' was the Gara de Nord - Dristor 2 section of what is today the M1. Construction work on another branch, the one from Leontin Sălăjan to Linia de Centură began in 1988, but the tunnels were flooded and the work was halted in 1993.
Due to the very large gap between Pacii and Lujerului construction of Gorjului started. It was opened in two stages; in 1994 the westbound platform opened and in 1998 the eastbound platform was opened.
In the mid 2000s the route of the M3 was shortened from Pantelimon - Industriilor to Eroilor - Industriilor and the M3 became a shuttle service, similar to the M4 today. In 2008 the long-overdue section from Nicolae Grigorescu to Anghel Saligny was finally also opened as a shuttle, its construction work having restarted in 2004. Because a line composed of two unconnected shuttles was very impractical, on 4 July 2009 the two shuttles were linked sharing tracks with the M1 between Eroilor and Nicolae Grigorescu, forming the M3 we know today.

Rolling Stock

The M3 currently uses Bombardier Movia trains, however until 2014 Astra IVA trains were also used. After the arrival of new CAF trains and the migration of Movia trains from the M2 to the M3 was complete the old trains were no longer needed.
The first Movia trains were introduced on the M3 in 2009 when through services from Preciziei to Anghel Saligny commenced. After that IVA trains became less and less frequent until they were gone in 2014. The only line which still uses IVA trains is the M4.

Name changes

Extensions

An extension from Păcii towards the A1 Motorway and the Western Industrial Park is planned for 2030.