Quito Metro
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| Quito Metro | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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 Train arriving at Universidad Central station | |||
| Overview | |||
| Native name | Metro de Quito | ||
| Locale | Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador | ||
| Transit type | Rapid transit | ||
Number of lines | 1 | ||
Number of stations | 15 | ||
Daily ridership | 350,000 (projected) | ||
| Website | Metro de Quito (in Spanish) | ||
| Operation | |||
Began operation | 1 December 2023 | ||
| Operator | Empresa Pública Metropolitana Metro de Quito | ||
| Character | underground | ||
Number of vehicles | 18 | ||
| Technical | |||
| System length | 22.6 km (14.0 mi)[1] | ||
| No. of tracks | 2 | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
| Electrification | 1,500 V DC overhead wire | ||
| Average speed | 37 kilometres per hour (23 mph)[2] | ||
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The Quito Metro (Spanish: Metro de Quito), abbreviated as MDQ, is a rapid transit system consisting of a single line in Quito, the capital of Ecuador.
The Metro is part of Quito's long-term effort to improve public transportation and reduce traffic congestion. It integrates with other systems such as the Ecovía and Trolebús, and is operated by the municipal company Empresa Pública Metropolitana Metro de Quito.
History
[edit]Planning began in the late 2000s as part of a mobility master plan for the city. Construction started in 2013 and included tunnel boring and excavation through the historic center. The tunnels were completed by 2019. Construction of the metro line itself began in January 2016.[3] The metro was projected to be operational by August 2020,[4] but the opening was delayed numerous times.[5]
The total cost of the project was estimated at US$2 billion. Funding was provided by multiple international institutions, including the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB),[6] the World Bank,[7] the European Investment Bank, and CAF.
The official inauguration was held on 21 December 2022,[8] and commercial service started with some tests with passengers on 2 May 2023.[9][10] After technical problems plagued the launch, service was shut down on 11 May.[11] Later that year, the Quito metro initiated its commercial operations on 1 December 2023.[5]
Operations
[edit]Service runs approximately every 5 to 10 minutes. The full journey from Quitumbe to El Labrador takes about 34 minutes. The system uses a contactless fare card integrated with the city’s bus networks.[citation needed]
Network and stations
[edit]Lines
[edit]Line 1 connects the southern terminal at Quitumbe with the northern station at El Labrador, spanning 22.6 km entirely underground. It has 15 stations and is the backbone of the city's rapid transit system.[12]
Stations
[edit]The system's first line, which includes 15 stations, extends from Quitumbe in the south of the city to El Labrador in the north of the city. The 15 stations on this line are, from south to north:[13]
| Image | Station | Neighborhood | Connections | Serves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quitumbe | Quitumbe | Southern intercity bus terminal | ||
 |
Morán Valverde | Chillogallo | Urban buses | |
| Solanda | Solanda | Feeder bus lines | ||
| Cardenal de la Torre | Chimbacalle | Trolleybus | ||
 |
El Recreo | La Magdalena | Ecovía | |
| La Magdalena | Local buses | |||
 |
San Francisco | Historic Center | Tourist zone | |
 |
La Alameda | Itchimbía | Trolleybus | |
 |
El Ejido | Mariscal | Trolleybus | Universities |
|
Universidad Central | Universidad | Central University of Ecuador | |
 |
Pradera | Iñaquito | Business and hotel district | |
 |
La Carolina | Carolina Park, shopping centers | ||
 |
Iñaquito | Public offices | ||
| Jipijapa | Jipijapa | Local buses | ||
.png) |
El Labrador | El Labrador | Planned intermodal terminal |
The station at Plaza de San Francisco (by the San Francisco monastery), is the only station placed in the historic center of Quito (declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978).[3] Due to archaeological remains found at the proposed site of the San Francisco station in late 2016, the station was moved two blocks further south to the Plaza 24th of May, and the remains will not be disturbed further.[citation needed]
Every station is painted in a distinct color to help with passenger orientation.[14]
The design of Line 1 allows for five infill stations to be built if demand warrants, and for a potential 5 km extension northwards to the Ofelia bus terminal.[citation needed]
Rolling stock
[edit]Line 1 operates 18 trains manufactured by CAF. Each train has six cars and can carry up to 1,500 passengers. The trains are equipped with air conditioning, CCTV, and accessibility features.[2]
Network map
[edit]
References
[edit]- ↑ "La línea del metro de Quito será subterránea". 22 June 2011.
- 1 2 "First Quito metro train delivered". September 6, 2018. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
- 1 2 Osava, Mario (30 November 2016). "Subway Will Modernise – and Further Gentrify – Historic Centre of Quito". Inter Press Service. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
- ↑ "La tarifa es el talón de Aquiles del Metro de Quito". El Comercio (in Spanish). 6 August 2019. Archived from the original on 2 September 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- 1 2 "Así fue el primer día de operación comercial del Metro de Quito" [This was the first day of commercial operations of Quito Metro] (in Spanish). Primicias. December 2023. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ↑ "IDB supports construction of Quito's first subway line". Inter-American Development Bank. Retrieved 7 June 2025.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "Quito Metro Line 1 Project". World Bank. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ↑ "Phased opening of Quito Metro kicks off in Ecuador". Archived from the original on 2023-01-21.
- ↑ Schwandl, Robert. "Quito". urbanrail.
- ↑ Ecuador's first metro opens Tramways & Urban Transit issue 1027 July 2023 page 253
- ↑ "Estas son las razones por las que el Metro de Quito suspendió actividades". El Comercio (in Spanish). 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ↑ "El Metro de Quito inicia operaciones comerciales". Metro de Quito (in Spanish). 1 December 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2025.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "El Proyecto - Introducción" [The Project - Introduction] (in Spanish). Metro de Quito. Archived from the original on 2015-03-21. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
- ↑ "La ciudad recibe las estaciones Jipijapa e Iñaquito del Metro de Quito". Quito Metro. 3 May 2021. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
External links
[edit]
- Official website (in Spanish)
- Quito UrbanRail.net
