Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. has received an order for a subway system in Qatar. The value of the order from Qatar's state-run railway company is put at some ¥400 billion. Under the turnkey deal, the consortium, which also includes major Japanese trader Mitsubishi Corp.

and Japanese electronics maker Hitachi Ltd., will provide 225 train cars, signal systems, communications equipment and maintenance services. The project is for three subway lines with a total length of 86 kilometers in Doha, the capital of Qatar. Automated trains will be employed on the lines, which are scheduled to be opened gradually from October 2018.

Qatar aims to improve infrastructure ahead of the 2020 World Cup soccer finals in the Middle East country. Mitsubishi Heavy will head the project, while Mitsubishi and Japanese railcar maker Kinki Sharyo Co. will be in charge of supplying train cars.

France's Thales Group will be responsible for the signal systems, while Hitachi will mainly handle train maintenance.