PHASE 2b of København’s automated metro was opened on October 12, extending Lines M1 and M2 west from Frederiksberg to Vanløse (RG 1.03 p31). The inauguration comes five months after completion of Phase 2a between Nørreport and Frederiksberg, which was opened by Queen Margrethe on May 29.
The latest 2·8 km extension has been built by Fredriksbergbaneselskabet, a separate company jointly owned by the metro and Fredriksberg community. Only 0·7 km is in tunnel, with the remainder of the route following a surface alignment formerly used by S-bane suburban services. Intermediate stations have been provided at Lindevang and Solbjerg, and a third is under construction at Flintholm, which will provide interchange with services on the S-bane ring line when it opens on January 24.
On October 15 Metro promoter Ørestadsselskabet announced that it had signed a DKr511m contract with a consortium of Hoffmann A/S and the Arkil-Novejfa I/S joint venture for construction and fitting out of metro Phase 3. The 4·1 km extension of Line M2 from Lergravsparken to København airport will add a further five stations. Construction was expected to get underway on November 1, with civil works to be complete by the end of 2005; the line is due to open in 2007.
