Tel Aviv Metro Launches $10 Billion Tender for Driverless Train Systems

Israel's transport authority NTA has opened prequalification for a $10 billion tranche of contracts covering trains, signalling, and station systems for the Tel Aviv Metro, marking a major step toward the driverless network's build-out.

The tender package, known as Infra II, covers rolling stock, railway and station systems, systems integration, and network operations for a metro designed to run at Grade of Automation 4 (GOA4) — the highest level of rail automation, meaning trains operate with no onboard driver. The wider Tel Aviv Metro project comprises three interconnected lines spanning roughly 150km and 109 underground stations, with total project value estimates ranging from $41 billion to $50 billion in independent press coverage, though Railway-News puts the figure as high as $60 billion.

Bidders will be required to form consortiums combining international and Israeli companies, and will need to meet cybersecurity and information-security requirements given the scale and criticality of the automated system. NTA expects to publish the individual tenders in stages from late 2026 into 2027, with the final package potentially following in early 2028.

For suppliers of rolling stock, signalling, and automation technology, the tender represents one of the largest driverless metro procurement opportunities currently on the market, and a bellwether for GOA4 adoption outside established markets like Paris, Singapore, and Copenhagen.