M6 will link Gara de Nord to Henri Coandă airport in Otopeni: 14.2 km, 12 new stations and 12 new trains.
In September 2026 the structure of the 1 Mai–Tokyo section was about 76% done; the northern section to the airport only about 33%.
The updated date for entry into service is 30 April 2029. The original plan spoke of the end of 2027.
The cost rose to 10.454 billion lei incl. VAT, from 5.899 billion approved in 2016. Funding: state, EU and JICA.
Real walking distance, the station's status, value on today's access, construction disruption, and a price with no 'metro premium'.
Bucharest metro line M6: the short answer
Bucharest metro line M6 is a new 14.2 km line with 12 new stations that will connect Gara de Nord, the city's main railway station, to Henri Coandă International Airport in Otopeni. As of September 2026, the structure of the southern section was about 76% complete and the northern section about 33%, and the declared opening date is the end of April 2029. The line is genuinely being built, but its timetable has already slipped, so factor it in with care.
On almost every tour I do with investors in north Bucharest, the same question comes up: "Moti, when is the metro coming?"
The honest answer has three parts: there is an official date, there is progress you can see on the ground, and there is a history of delays. This article gives you all three, with sources.
What line M6 is, and where it runs
According to Bucharest's metro company, Metrorex, and the official project website, M6 is a 14.2 km double-track line with 12 new stations and 12 new trains. The new section starts at 1 Mai station, today on line M4, and runs north through Băneasa and Otopeni to the airport terminal.
The project is split into two sections, each with its own contractor:
| Section | New stations | Structural progress (September 2026) | Contractor |
|---|---|---|---|
| South: 1 Mai to Tokyo | Pajura, Expoziției, Piața Montreal, Gara Băneasa, Aeroport Băneasa, Tokyo | about 76% | Alsim Alarko–Makyol |
| North: Tokyo to Aeroport Otopeni | Washington, Paris, Bruxelles, Ion I.C. Brătianu, Otopeni, Aeroport Otopeni | about 33% | Gulermak–Somet |
The progress figures come from Metrorex's monthly report for September 2026, as published by Economica.net on 2 October 2026. In the same report, several southern stations (Expoziției, Piața Montreal, Aeroport Băneasa) had passed 85% on structural works, while some northern stations were still around 20%–35%.
Put simply: the southern section is well advanced, and the northern one, the part that reaches the airport, is still early.
When will M6 open? The timetable and the delays
The original plan spoke of the end of 2027. Romanian media later reported that the date had moved to 2028 or early 2029.
According to a June 2026 report by Arena Construct, the updated date for putting the line into service is 30 April 2029. The same report puts the total cost at 10.454 billion lei including VAT, against 5.899 billion lei approved in 2016, an increase of about 77%. The main risk it names is the level of budget available under the transport programme.
So my advice is simple: plan by what you see on site, not by the date announced. If the line opens in 2029, excellent. If it slips, your decision should still hold without it.
Plan by what you see on site, not by the date announced.
Who is paying for line M6
Funding comes from three sources: the Romanian state budget, the EU Transport Programme 2021–2027, and loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). According to Arena Construct, JICA covers about 15% of the amounts excluding VAT on the southern section, and about 72% of the value of structural works on the northern section.
This detail matters: a project with international financing and an outside lender's oversight tends to keep going even under budget pressure. It does not guarantee a date, but it reduces the risk of the line stopping halfway.
What the line will change in north Bucharest
The line is designed for a capacity of 50,000 passengers per hour in each direction. Once open, it will give Băneasa, Otopeni and the terminal of Henri Coandă International Airport a direct rail link to the city centre and to the existing metro network.
Anyone reading about north Bucharest will notice that this is also the corridor where the ring motorway is being built. We cover the northern ring in our guide to the A0, and the neighbourhoods themselves in our Băneasa guide and our Otopeni guide.
It is just as important to be precise about what the line does not do. The last station is at the airport. Suburbs beyond it, such as Balotești, Corbeanca and Snagov, will not get a station, and access will remain by road. In our project in Balotești, for example, we show buyers today's travel times, about 10 minutes to the airport and about 25 minutes to the city centre, without relying on the metro.
How to factor M6 into a buying decision
If you are looking at a property along the line, these are the five checks I recommend:
- Real walking distance. Open the station map on the project website and measure from the front door to the station entrance, not as the crow flies.
- The status of that specific station. Metrorex publishes monthly progress reports. A station at 85% structure and one at 20% are not the same story.
- Judge by today's access. The property should make sense with the transport that exists now.
- Construction disruption. Next to stations under construction there is noise, road closures and dust, sometimes for years.
- A fair price without a "metro premium". Don't pay today for a convenience that may arrive in 2029. If a seller justifies the price only by the future line, ask for comparable sales.
For the wider picture of Romania's infrastructure through the end of the decade, see our article "Romania 2030".
Frequently asked questions
When will the metro line to Otopeni airport open?
According to the latest reports, the declared date for putting line M6 into service is 30 April 2029. The original target was the end of 2027 and it has already slipped, so it is worth following Metrorex's monthly progress reports rather than relying on a date alone.
How many stations does M6 have, and where does it start?
The line has 12 new stations over 14.2 km. The new section starts at 1 Mai station on line M4, continues through Pajura, Expoziției, Piața Montreal, Gara Băneasa, Aeroport Băneasa and Tokyo, and then north to Aeroport Otopeni station at the airport terminal.
What is the status of the works at the end of 2026?
According to Metrorex's September 2026 report, the structure of the southern section (1 Mai to Tokyo) was about 76% complete, and of the northern section (Tokyo to the airport) about 33%. On the southern section the tunnel boring machines are still digging; on the northern one, parts of a boring machine have started arriving at Bruxelles station for assembly.
How much does the project cost, and who is funding it?
According to a June 2026 report, the total cost is 10.454 billion lei including VAT. Funding combines the state budget, the EU Transport Programme 2021–2027 and loans from Japan's JICA.
Will the metro reach Balotești, Corbeanca or Snagov?
No. The northernmost station on the line is the airport in Otopeni. The suburbs north of it will stay connected by road, mainly the DN1 and the A0 ring motorway, and from there you will be able to drive to the northern stations of the line.
The bottom line
Line M6 is one of the most important projects in Bucharest this decade, and it is genuinely being built. But between an announced date and the first train there is a gap, and its history of delays proves it.
The right decision is one that holds without the metro and gains if and when it arrives. If you are looking at a property in the north of the city, in our project or anywhere else, book a 30-minute call with me. We will go through the map, today's travel times and what is actually expected.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources and data: Metrorex, Bucharest metro company · Magistrala 6 project website · Economica.net, September 2026 progress report (2.10.2026) · Arena Construct, cost and timetable (June 2026) · JICA, Japan International Cooperation Agency · Henri Coandă International Airport.
This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Dates and progress figures for infrastructure projects may change; check the current status before making a decision.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
