Moscow Metro announced that it reached a record short distance of 5 seconds on the Circle Line (Line 80) during the train operating control system tests.
The result was possible after the modernization of the control system on the line, carried out in early 2023. Up to 45 trains were running on both lines during the tests, so they arrived at the stations with a minimum progress of 80 seconds. It's faster than the Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Beijing subways.
After the modernization, trains arrive 6-10 seconds faster during rush hour. It also adds more than 2,5 thousand extra seats in both directions, making trains less crowded. The stability of the train schedule has also increased, making the network more reliable.
Maksim Liksutov, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport, said, “At the beginning of the year, we installed a new microprocessor-based interlocking system on Circle Line, which reduces the transition distances between trains, provides additional passenger seats and increases the reliability of the train control system. We recently tested the system in maximum load mode with domestic software, and we managed to achieve the world's shortest distance between trains in about 80 seconds, confirming in practice the reliability and smoothness of its operation.”
He added that the new system in the domestic software works stably and uninterruptedly at maximum load, and is cautious against the increase in the number of passengers.