Santiago Subway
The Santiago Metro is the metropolitan railway whose network covers part of the capital of Chile. This transportation system is managed by the state-owned company Metro S.A. It is the first of the two Chilean metropolitan railway systems, together with the Limache-Puerto de Valparaíso Train (inaugurated in 2005), and is part of the Metropolitan Mobility Network.
This metro is one of the most modern systems in Latin America, being also the longest network in South America and the second longest network in Latin America after the Mexico City Metro. It is also the seventh the most regular in frequency worldwide. It currently has seven lines, 136 stations and an extension of 140 km. In March 2012 it was chosen as the best subway system in America, a distinction received at the annual dinner of Metro Rail developed in London (England).
About 2,600,000 passengers transport daily through it. This figure means an increase of more than one million daily passengers compared to figures prior to 2007, when the Transantiago plan was launched, in which the Santiago Metro plays a coordinating role in the city's public transport system.. Its historical record of influx, 2,951,962, took place on May 3, 2019. During 2018 it carried a record total of more than 712 million passengers.
Along with the seven lines currently in operation, 2 new extensions are under construction. In 2014, the extension of Line 3 to Quilicura and Line 2 to El Bosque and San Bernardo was announced, adding seven new stations and 8.8 km to the network by 2023.
On June 1, 2017, the layout of the future Line 7 was officially announced by President Michelle Bachelet, which will have 21 stations over 25 km between Renca in the northwestern sector and Vitacura in the northeastern sector, reducing In addition, the flow of Line 1 in approximately 10,000 passengers. Its inauguration is estimated for 2027.
In June 2018, President Sebastián Piñera announced in his annual account that studies will begin for the construction of two new metro lines: Line 8 will connect the communes of La Florida and Puente Alto with Providencia, while Line 9 will go from the center to the commune of La Pintana, one of the last in the city to receive the Metro. In addition, Line 4 will be extended in three stations to reach the Bajos de Mena sector in Puente Alto, and Line 6 will also be extended in two stations; one to the northeast to connect with Line 7, and another to the southwest to connect with the Melipilla-Central Station line.
History
Beginnings
During the first decades of the XX century, there were various private initiatives to build an underground metropolitan railway. The engineer Luis Lagarrigue obtained the first concession in 1924, which expired due to a lack of resources and a definitive project; Later, it would present new projects in the following years, which did not materialize either. In the 1930s, other interested parties would present projects, including Karl Brunner, the Ministry of the Interior —headed by Luis Salas Romo— and Alberto Fellenberg Galleguillos.
The idea of building a metropolitan railway in the city of Santiago by the Chilean State dates back to 1944, when it sought a way to improve the chaotic transportation that existed after the demographic explosion that had taken place in the city since the early 1990s. 1930s. However, the ideas only began to materialize during the 1960s, when the government opened an international tender for the development of an urban transport system. On October 24, 1968, the government of Eduardo Frei Montalva approved the project presented by the Franco-Chilean consortium BCEOM-SOFRETU-CADE, which proposed the creation of five lines with an extension of approximately 60 km in 1990. The On May 29, 1969, the works for the construction of the first line finally began, which linked the Civic Quarter and the Barrancas sector (in the current commune of Lo Prado).
On September 15, 1975, the first line of the Santiago Metro was inaugurated by Augusto Pinochet during the military dictatorship, which became the third in South America with this urban transport system after those of Buenos Aires Aires and São Paulo, inaugurated in 1913 and 1974, respectively. Line 1, in its inaugural section, ran mainly underground from San Pablo to La Moneda under the Alameda del Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins. In 1977, said line was extended to the Providencia sector, reaching the east in 1980 to the Escuela Militar station.
In March 1978 Line 2 was inaugurated. Its initial section originated at Los Héroes station and ran longitudinally and at surface level North-South Avenue to Franklin station. In December of that same year, the line was extended southward along Gran Avenida to Lo Ovalle station, this time underground.
Changes in the project
Despite the rapid growth of the network, the serious economic crisis that would affect the country in 1982 jeopardized the realization of the original project. Added to this are studies that show population growth in the southeast sector of the capital to the detriment of the north, where future extensions of the service were planned.
To meet the demands that would be generated, Line 2 would change its layout and the extension that would start from Los Héroes, would turn around the historic center of the city, would cross Line 1 again in Baquedano and would run along part of Avenida Vicuña Mackenna. Meanwhile, Line 3 projected along Independencia and Irarrázaval avenues would make up for the lack of Line 2 in the northern sector.
However, the plans would be affected again when on March 3, 1985, an earthquake devastated a large part of the Chilean Central Valley. Most of the funds earmarked for the construction of the extension of Line 2 and Line 3 were used to cover the costs of rebuilding the city. Of the planned works, the only one that was completed was the opening in 1986 and 1987 of two new stations to the north on Line 2: Santa Ana and Mapocho, respectively. This last station would change its name later, after the remarkable discovery of the remains of the old Calicanto Bridge, emblem of the city for more than a century, was made during the excavations of this project. That same year the Metrobus transport system debuted, from the Escuela Militar, Lo Ovalle and Las Rejas stations.
In the institutional sphere, the administration of the Santiago Metro was changed at the end of the decade. The former General Directorate of Metro, belonging to the Ministry of Public Works, was transformed into a public limited company with state capital called Empresa de Transporte de Pasajeros Metro S.A. in accordance with the provisions of Law 18772, published on January 28, 1989.
With the revival of the economy after the second miracle, the Metro extension plans took on new life. The growth of the southeast sector of the capital had exploded during the 1980s and La Florida had become the most populous commune in the country, so it was urgent to create a new line to that area. The first plans were presented in 1989 and in 1991 its construction would be announced by President Patricio Aylwin. The new line would start in Baquedano towards the south until the Circunvalación Américo Vespucio, following the axis of Vicuña Mackenna.
Line 5 was inaugurated on April 5, 1997 by President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle. The new line would have an extension of 10.3 km, which included an initial part underground under Bustamante Park, later emerging to rise in the form of a viaduct over Vicuña Mackenna, submerging upon reaching the Bellavista de La Florida terminal.
Finally, in March 2000 a new section of Line 5 would be inaugurated that crossed the historic center of the capital. The connection between Baquedano with Santa Ana, through the Plaza de Armas and Bellas Artes stations, intertwined the three existing lines up to that moment.
Expansion
With the arrival of Ricardo Lagos to the Presidency in 2000, one of his goals was the transformation of the transportation system of the capital. To this end, the extension of Line 5 to the west was designed to reach Quinta Normal, following Calle Catedral, and of Line 2 to the north and south to join both ends of the Américo Vespucio Beltway.
However, the biggest announcement would come in 2002 when Lagos announced the construction of a fourth Metro line, which would surround a large part of the southeast area of Américo Vespucio and would reach the center of Puente Alto, which had displaced to its neighbor La Florida as the most populated commune in the nation. With these new projects, the Metro Network would practically double its total length by 2010, the date on which the country would celebrate the Bicentennial of the First National Board of the Chilean Government.
These new projects were designed in order to transform the Santiago Metro into the main articulating axis of the plan to reform the city's transportation system called Transantiago. Along with the extensions, “intermodal stations” were designed in order to allow a better interaction between the urban railway and different means of transport, mainly minibuses. The first intermodal station would open in Quinta Normal, after the extension to the west of Line 5 was inaugurated on March 31, 2004. However, the original plan to house a railway station was postponed due to the delay in construction. of the Alameda Melipilla Train.
On September 8, 2004, Metro de Santiago marked a new milestone when it crossed the Mapocho River underground, when it inaugurated the Patronato and Cerro Blanco stations of the northern extension of Line 2. The following December 22 it would be inaugurated the southern extension of said line, which includes the El Parrón and La Cisterna stations. A second section of Line 2 to the north would be inaugurated on November 25, 2005. Finally, the last section was opened on December 22, 2006, at a cost of more than 170 million dollars and generating an increase of 27 million of passengers annually.
On November 30, 2005, the first section of Line 4 was inaugurated, which includes the underground section between the Tobalaba and Grecia stations, and the viaduct between Vicente Valdés and Plaza de Puente Alto. The section between Grecia and Vicente Valdés, which was temporarily carried out by buses from the Transantiago system, was finally inaugurated on March 2, 2006. Line 4, until then, was the longest line in the entire system, with 24.7 kilometers and 22 stations that connect the communes of Providencia, Las Condes, Ñuñoa, La Reina, Peñalolén, Macul, La Florida and Puente Alto. The new line also introduced new bodywork, made up of Alstom trains manufactured in Brazil, much wider than those that run on the other three lines and with a new type of rolling stock, railway rolling stock. Finally, Line 4 was complemented by the inauguration of a branch, Line 4A, which since August 16, 2006 connects Line 2 at La Cisterna station to Vicuña Mackenna station on Line 4, through Américo Vespucio Sur.
Santiago
For many years, a restructuring of the Santiago transport system was planned, which would allow the different means to be articulated, particularly minibuses and the Metro. This reform, called Transantiago, incorporated the Metro as one of its main axes, facilitating the transfer of passengers from the buses (which would serve as feeders). The payment system between both means of transport was unified with the establishment of the bip! card. and the fare structure was modified, allowing the combination of one or more transfers with a slight or no surcharge.
Transantiago thus became one of the greatest challenges faced by the Santiago Metro. These structural changes to the transport system would generate a significant flow of new users, in addition to those incorporated by Line 4. To face this increase in passengers, Metro invested heavily to avoid the collapse of the network, which included improvements in the access infrastructure to the stations, the arrival of 11 new trains from the Spanish company CAF, their reassignment between the lines and reconditioning of cars. In addition, a strong advertising campaign was carried out to educate new users who would use the network.
On February 10, 2007, Transantiago was launched with disastrous results. Most of the new bus routes collapsed within a few hours, forcing hundreds of thousands of riders to move to the Metro, which had provided faster and more reliable service up to that point. In a few days, the number of Metro passengers doubled and many stations were overwhelmed by large crowds of people. Various measures made it possible to reduce the number of Metro passengers and transfer them to the minibuses, as these managed to function normally. However, the metropolitan railway maintained very high occupancy figures, reaching more than 2.4 million users per day and between 5 and 5.5 passengers per square meter.
To try to satisfy the enormous demand, the Metro decided to bring forward the start of its service to 6:00 in the morning from March 1 and on March 10, President Michelle Bachelet announced the time extension from 22:30 to 23:00. To this were added various measures applied during the year such as the establishment of express services on Lines 2, 4 and 5 during the hours of greatest demand, new accesses in some stations and the increase in the bodywork on Line 1.
Extensions to Maipú and Las Condes
On November 15, 2005, President Ricardo Lagos announced the extension of Line 1 to the east, from Escuela Militar to Los Dominicos station, in the Las Condes commune. Three new stations were built, adding 4 kilometers to the rail network, and they were inaugurated on January 7, 2010 during the presidency of Michelle Bachelet.
That same day, one of the most important projects of the service was announced: the extension of the metro to the west, connecting the communes of Maipú, Pudahuel, Lo Prado and Quinta Normal to the Metro Network. In this way, the Metro approached the western sector of the city for the first time, reaching Maipú, the most populated commune in the country after displacing Puente Alto in 2008.
On October 31, 2009, the final layout of the extension of Line 5 was approved, which starts from the Quinta Normal station along Avenida San Pablo underground, turning south to come to the surface and go through Avenida Teniente Cruz and later Avenida Pajaritos before going underground again and arriving at the terminal station, in the Plaza de Armas of Maipú. The first section to the Pudahuel station was delivered on January 12, 2010, while the remaining stretch to Maipú was opened to the public on February 3, 2011.
Together with the construction of the new extensions, important works were carried out that allowed renovating the Pajaritos station of Line 1 to turn it into the terminal of a loop, allowing greater efficiency for the most loaded section of said line and the postponed one was inaugurated San José de La Estrella station on Line 4. The Del Sol station was also built in the extension to Maipú, which serves as a transfer to intercity buses.
Lines 3 and 6
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After the launch of Transantiago and the beginning of the extension to Maipú, the Metro management ruled out the planning of new lines until an evaluation of the operation of the service after said changes, and according to its results it would be determined if it was profitable and necessary to build extensions or new lines. In any case, the Interministerial Secretariat for Transport Planning (Sectra) called in mid-2006 for a tender for the design of future extensions in the medium and long term. Although the proponents could design their own lines, three mandatory designs for all were presented: the postponed project of Line 3 between Irarrázaval and Independencia avenues, an extension of Line 4 to the north towards Vitacura or Huechuraba passing through the Costanera Center, an extension of Line 4A to Maipú and two new lines along Santa Rosa Avenue and another along the Los Leones-Macul-La Florida axis.
However, the existing congestion problems on Line 1 since the implementation of Transantiago made it necessary to prioritize alternatives that would help relieve its congestion. In 2007, the director of Metro S.A. Clemente Pérez suggested that the alternatives could be the equivalent of the postponed line 3 or a new line along Santa María avenue, although a group of construction companies presented a proposal (at a cost of US$900 million) to build an express line under the current Line 1 and with stops at nine important stations. In September 2009 the possibilities were reduced to only three alternatives: the line along Av. Santa María, Line 3 and a new line from the Pedro de Valdivia station to the south to the National Stadium, turning west using the old railway line and then arriving at the future Ciudad Parque Bicentenario in Cerrillos.
On December 29, 2009, President Michelle Bachelet announced the construction of the new Line 6 of the Santiago Metro, equivalent to the line between Cerrillos and Pedro de Valdivia previously mentioned, but reaching the combination with the Tobalaba station of the Line 4. This design made it possible to quickly connect the population in the south of the city with the financial center of the city, in addition to activating real estate projects along the deteriorated surroundings of Zanjón de la Aguada and taking advantage of the strip of old railway lines, which That would lower costs. The project, with an investment of 900 million dollars, was to be operational in 2014. The choice of this layout over the other options, however, was controversial: some studies indicated that Line 3 would allow more people to be transported than Line 6, while others pointed to the benefits of Line 6 for the decongestion of Line 1, the passage through commercial areas of greater density and the favoring of the population of lower socioeconomic strata.
The victory of Sebastián Piñera, which put an end to twenty years of Concertación governments, and the occurrence of the 2010 earthquake in Chile cast doubt on the construction of Line 6. The new government announced that Line 6 would be reassessed arguing the new financial reality existing after the earthquake. However, after a few months the government confirmed the construction of Line 6, to which Line 3 would be added jointly, which would be opened between 2017 and 2018. Some modifications were made to the layout of Line 6, arriving at Line 1 only at Los Leones instead of the two original stations, while its route was modified approaching Avenida Carlos Valdovinos instead of Zanjón de la Aguada. In February 2014, another station to the west was announced, called Lo Errázuriz, which will connect tracks to a mechanical workshop, in addition to combining with the Melipilla Metrotren service.
The new lines are being built entirely underground and will present various innovations compared to their predecessors: the stations will have platform doors and overhead power supply, instead of tracks as in the rest of the network. In November 2013, the international tender for the supply and maintenance of the trains that will run on the new lines was awarded. The 185 cars of the Spanish manufacturer CAF have an automatic piloting system without a driver and air conditioning, developed by the Thales Group, a French electronics company dedicated to the development of information systems and services for the aerospace, defense and security markets.
Lines 7, 8 and 9
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The construction of Line 7 was announced by President Michelle Bachelet during the public account of June 1, 2017. For a large part of its route it will be parallel to Line 1, decongesting it and reducing its flow by approximately 10,000 passengers. It will combine with lines 1, 2, 3 and 5, and will directly benefit the communes of Renca, Cerro Navia, Quinta Normal, Santiago, Providencia, Las Condes and Vitacura.
It will start at the intersection of Brasil and Vicuña Mackenna streets in Renca, and from this point it will head south, following the layout of Vicuña Mackenna street, crossing the Mapocho river at the Resbalón Bridge in Cerro Navia; from that point it will follow Rolando Petersen street to the south until its intersection with Avenida Mapocho, from where it will head east following this same avenue, crossing the communes of Cerro Navia and Quinta Normal, connecting perpendicularly lines 2 and 3 in the Puente Cal y Canto station. Subsequently, it continues under the corridor of parks that borders the Mapocho River (Forest Park and Balmaceda); on this route it will combine with lines 1 and 5 at the Baquedano station. After passing through the Balmaceda park, it will head towards Vitacura along Providencia and Nueva Providencia avenues (where it will connect with Line 1 at the Pedro de Valdivia station), taking Andrés Bello avenue at the height of Los Leones, continuing towards the old roundabout Pérez Zujovic and continuing to Alonso de Córdova, to later continue through Cerro Colorado (adjacent to Parque Araucano) and later take Avenida Kennedy, to end its journey in Estoril with Avenida Las Condes.
On December 22, 2017, the newspaper El Mercurio published a report stating that the route of the line was modified, so that it will not run along Andrés Bello avenue, but will run parallel to Line 1 through Providencia avenue, eliminating the combination in Salvador and transferring it to Pedro de Valdivia, to then continue with its original route in Isidora Goyenechea (where it will combine with Line 6), and a section of the route in the Kennedy avenue sector will be will deviate for Cerro Colorado. Along with this, it was announced that the line will be inaugurated in 2026.
In June 2018, President Sebastián Piñera announced in his annual account that studies will begin for the construction of two new metro lines: Line 8 will connect the communes of La Florida and Puente Alto with Providencia, while Line 9 will go from the center to the commune of La Pintana, one of the last in the city to receive the Metro. In addition, Line 4 will be extended in three stations to reach the Bajos de Mena sector in Puente Alto. Lines 8 and 9 are projected to be inaugurated in 2027.
Social outbreak
During the month of October 2019, the Santiago metro network was affected by social protests due to the increase in the fares of the entire Metropolitan Mobility Network. Initially, high school students carried out massive acts of evasion between 6 and October 11 The protests quickly escalated to several subway stations, disrupting train service on several occasions.
On Friday the 18th, the situation escalated and the entire network had to be closed due to attacks on stations and workers. At night, after the declaration of a state of emergency by President Sebastián Piñera, several Metro stations were destroyed and burned, some of which were attacked again the next day, even when the curfew was established. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Human Rights investigated accusations that the Baquedano station was used as a detention and torture center by carabineros and military personnel. On the morning of the same day, the site was reviewed by personnel from the INDH, PDI, and guarantee judges. The judges found no evidence of torture or illegal detentions in the place, but an investigation was launched to rule out any irregular situation. Subsequently, on May 27, 2020, the eastern prosecutor's office ruled out that torture had been carried out at the Baquedano Station by police officers, an argument that Said accusations turned out to be false and there was no evidence to prove the accusation, due to this, the definitive dismissal of the case was requested.
The Metro network was partially reactivated as of Monday, October 21; however, due to damage to some stations, the network will only be fully available for up to 7 months. The costs of the damages are estimated at more than 300 million dollars. Metro de Santiago indicated that it does not have contracted insurance for the infrastructure of the stations and trains. Lines 3 and 6, for their part, opened on December 23 October, Lines 2 and 5 on the 25th, Line 4 on the 28th, and Line 4A on November 25, all partially and with shortened hours.
On October 23, it was reported that the network presented damage in 79 stations, with lines 4, 4A and 5 showing the largest number of destroyed or vandalized stations; There is also damage to 7 trains, 6 on line 4 and one on line 1 —the latter set on fire at the San Pablo station. With the reopening of the last two stations Trinidad and Protectora de la Infancia on September 25, 2020, 100% network operation was completed.
Structure
Lines
Line 1
Line 1 is the inaugural line of the network and is its main axis, being the only one that runs through the city in a west-east direction. The complete route of the line, identified with the color red, takes approximately 29.7 minutes.
Its first section of 8.2 km was inaugurated on September 15, 1975 between the San Pablo and La Moneda stations, being later extended to the east by 3.2 km to the Salvador station, on March 31, 1977 A new extension of 4.5 km was inaugurated on August 22, 1980, linking Salvador with the Military School. On January 7, 2010, a new extension was inaugurated, which runs from Escuela Militar to Los Dominicos, adding three new stations and 4 km of route to the network.
Currently, the line has an extension of 20 kilometers and 27 stations that cross the communes of Lo Prado, Estación Central, Santiago, Providencia and Las Condes. Its route from the west begins at the San Pablo station to the south along Av. Neptuno, later turning east when it meets Route 68. After this initial section, made mainly in the form of a trench, it submerges near the start of Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins Avenue. The line runs completely through this avenue, the main one in the city, covering a large part of the historic center of the city. The tunnel then passes under Providencia, Nueva Providencia and Apoquindo avenues, ending when it meets Plaza Los Domínicos, in the Las Condes commune.
Line 1 is the most used Metro line, concentrating close to 39% of the total trips along the network. This is because, along with serving a large part of the eastern and western population from the capital, it runs through the main economic and commercial axis of the city, locating various urban landmarks along its route, such as the Palacio de La Moneda, Paseo Ahumada, the headquarters of the three largest universities in the country, different intercity bus terminals and the city train station, among others.
Line 2
Line 2 of the Santiago Metro runs longitudinally through the city from north to south, passing through the communes of Huechuraba, Recoleta, Santiago, San Miguel and La Cisterna. Currently, it comprises 22 stations along 20.6 kilometers, which are covered in approximately 34.2 minutes.
Its first section of 4.9 km, between Los Héroes and Franklin stations, was inaugurated on March 31, 1978, being complemented with the extension of 4.8 km to the south from Franklin to Lo Ovalle, inaugurated on 21 December 1978. On July 25, 1986 the extension to Santa Ana was inaugurated and on September 15, 1987 the Puente Cal y Canto station was opened. The line continued its extension to the north after the opening of successive sections between 2004 and 2006 until it reached the Vespucio Norte station, and to the south with the inauguration in 2004 of the section from Lo Ovalle to La Cisterna.
Your route begins in the north at the Vespucio Norte station, a few meters before the confluence of Américo Vespucio and Recoleta avenues. Line 2, traditionally identified with the color yellow, runs underground through Recoleta to the vicinity of the Mapocho River. After crossing the city's main river, turn towards the Puente Cal y Canto station, formerly called Mapocho, and then take the Autopista Central. The route continues along this road, mainly in the form of a trench, to the Rondizzoni station, to go back underground. After passing the Franklin station, line 2 runs under Gran Avenida at bus stop 25 until it reaches the Américo Vespucio ring road again, at La Cisterna station.
Unlike Line 1, Line 2 has a more residential character, connecting the residential neighborhoods in the north and center-south of the city with the center of the city. 18% of the trips made in the Santiago Metro are carried out along this line.
In October 2009, an express service system was put into operation during peak hours, as well as lines 4 and 5. This system operates in the morning, between 6:00 and 9:00 a.m., and in in the afternoon, between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., in the Vespucio Norte-La Cisterna direction and vice versa. It consists of two types of trains: those of the "red route" and the "green route", which stop interspersed between the stations with their corresponding color, with the exception of eight common detention stations: Vespucio Norte, Zapadores, Puente Cal y Canto, Santa Ana, Los Héroes, Franklin, Lo Ovalle and La Cisterna.
In November 2014, President Michelle Bachelet announced that Line 2 would be extended by 5 kilometers and would add four new stations: El Bosque, Observatorio, Copa Lo Martínez and El Pino.
Line 3
Line 3 of the Santiago Metro, inaugurated on January 22, 2019, runs through the city in a north-northeast direction, crossing the communes of Quilicura, Conchalí, Independencia, Santiago, Ñuñoa and La Reina. Currently, it includes 18 stations along 22 kilometers, which are covered in approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
Your route begins in the north at Los Libertadores station, at the intersection of Independencia avenues and Los Libertadores highway, and then continues along Independencia avenue, where the Cardenal Caro, Vivaceta, Conchalí, Plaza Chacabuco, and Hospitales stations are located.. Subsequently, the line continues its route passing through the Puente Cal y Canto station to join Bandera and San Diego streets, where the Plaza de Armas, Universidad de Chile and Parque Almagro stations are located. Then the route continues along Avenida Matta, where the station of the same name is located, to later resume along Avenida Irarrázaval, where the stations Irarrázaval, Monseñor Eyzaguirre, Ñuñoa, Chile España and Villa Frei are located. The last two stations are located on Avenida Ossa and Avenida Fernando Castillo Velasco, which are Plaza Egaña and Fernando Castillo Velasco respectively. Line 3, identified with the brown color, advances underground throughout its entire journey.
Line 3 comes to decongest Line 1, as well as being the second line with trains with automatic pilot, platform doors and electrification through a catenary system. In addition, in the future it is expected that by 2023, an extension of three stations will be enabled, Plaza de Quilicura, Lo Cruzat and Ferrocarril, the latter will have a connection with the future Santiago-Batuco Train.
Line 4
Line 4 was the fourth line inaugurated in the Santiago Metro network. It was inaugurated on November 30, 2005; however, the section between Grecia and Vicente Valdés was covered by the Transantiago transportation system until it was opened on March 2, 2006. The line serves the communes of the eastern and southeastern areas of the capital, as it crosses the communes of Providencia, Las Condes, La Reina, Ñuñoa, Peñalolén, Macul, La Florida and Puente Alto.
Its section begins at the Tobalaba station, which serves as a combination with Line 1. The line runs underground along the homonymous avenue next to the San Carlos canal until the confluence with Américo Vespucio where it turns and continues its route to the south. The line remains underground during the section of the ring road called Avenida Ossa, emerging after crossing the Rotunda Grecia. The route continues along the Autopista Vespucio Sur to the Vicuña Mackenna station, from where the branch of Line 4A starts. After said stop, the line momentarily goes underground as it turns towards Avenida Vicuña Mackenna, later emerging in the form of an elevated viaduct after the Vicente Valdés station. In this way it advances until it reaches the vicinity of the Municipality of Puente Alto, where it again goes underground at the Las Mercedes station to end in the same way at the Plaza de Puente Alto. An extension of three additional stations to the south, reaching the Bajos de Mena sector, was announced in June 2018 and should be in operation around 2025.
This line, identified with the color blue, comprises a total of 23 stations and 24.7 kilometers long, which makes it the second longest in the network, becoming (once it was completely ready) the longest on the network, being later surpassed by line 5 after its extension to Maipú in 2011. The complete route takes approximately 40 minutes. On November 5, 2009, the San José de la Estrella station was opened to the public, increasing the number of stations on Line 4. It concentrates around 18% of the total trips on the network.
In August 2007, an express service system was launched during the morning in order to improve the service between Puente Alto and Tobalaba. This system is enabled between 6:00 and 9:00 in the Tobalaba-Puente Alto direction and vice versa and also consists of two types of trains: those of the "red route" and the "green route" stop between the stations with their respective route except for 9 common detention stations: Tobalaba, Francisco Bilbao, Plaza Egaña, Macul, Vicuña Mackenna, Vicente Valdés, Elisa Correa, Hospital Sótero del Río and Plaza de Puente Alto. Due to the good results of the system, the service was replicated in both directions (Tobalaba to Puente Alto and from Puente Alto to Tobalaba) between 06:00 to 09:00 and 18:00 to 21:00, saving approximately 10 minutes of travel time. In 2015 a new schedule was added between 12:00 and 15:00.
Line 4A
Line 4A is a branch of Line 4 that was inaugurated on August 16, 2006. It crosses the communes of La Florida, La Granja, San Ramón and La Cisterna. With only six stations along part of the Autopista Vespucio Sur and an extension of 7.7 kilometers, it is the line with the shortest extension in the network; this makes it the least traveled, covering just over 3% of the total trips on the network. The stations are also located, connected with the nearby towns by means of footbridges over the expressway. Finally, it arrives at La Cisterna station, which serves as a combination with Line 2.
The route along Line 4A, identified with the light blue color, takes less than 12 minutes.
Line 5
It was the third line inaugurated with its first section between the Baquedano and Bellavista stations in La Florida on April 5, 1997. It was later extended to the west, first to Santa Ana on March 4, 2000, and to Quinta Normal, on March 31, 2004. To the south, the Vicente Valdés station would be opened on November 30, 2005. In 2006, a new extension to the southwestern sector was announced, whose first section between the Pudahuel station and Quinta Normal was inaugurated on January 12, 2010; the section up to the Plaza de Maipú station was inaugurated on February 3, 2011.
Line 5, identified with the color green, currently has a length of 30 kilometers and a total of 30 stations, being the longest in the network, between the communes of Maipú, Pudahuel, Lo Prado, Quinta Normal, Santiago, Providencia, Ñuñoa, Macul, San Joaquín and La Florida. The route from the west begins underground at the Plaza de Maipú station, and then continues on the viaduct past the Del Sol station, going underground again at the Barrancas station, crossing the so-called "historical quarter" of the city. The line, after passing under the Plaza de Armas and the Museum of Fine Arts, turns south around Plaza Baquedano. The Metro passes under Bustamante Park, coming to the surface around the San Eugenio workshops, to then rise in the form of a viaduct over Vicuña Mackenna avenue. During the last sections of the route, the line begins to go underground before the Bellavista de La Florida station and then ends at Vicente Valdés, which serves as a combination with Line 4.
Like Line 2, Line 5 serves to connect the residential sectors of the western and southeastern areas of the capital with downtown Santiago. In its surroundings, however, some commercial centers (mainly near the Plaza Vespucio Mall) and important educational centers have emerged. It is the second most used line in the network, concentrating about 22% of total trips.
In November 2008, an express service system was put into operation during peak hours, as well as Line 4. This system operates in the morning between 6:00 and 9:00, and in the afternoon between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. in the Plaza de Maipú-Vicente Valdés direction and vice versa. It consists of two types of trains: those of the "red route" and the "green route", which stop interspersed between the stations, with the exception of 12 common detention stations: Plaza de Maipú, Laguna Sur, Pudahuel, San Pablo, Santa Ana, Plaza de Armas, Bellas Artes, Baquedano, Irarrázaval, Ñuble, Bellavista de La Florida and Vicente Valdés.
Line 6
Line 6 of the Santiago Metro, inaugurated on November 2, 2017, runs through the city in a southeast to northeast direction, crossing the communes of Cerrillos, Pedro Aguirre Cerda, San Miguel, San Joaquín, Santiago, Ñuñoa and Providence. Currently, it includes 10 stations along 15.3 kilometers, which are covered in approximately 19 to 20 minutes.
Its route begins to the southeast at the Cerrillos station, at the intersection of Departmental, Pedro Aguirre Cerda and Buzeta avenues and then continues along Carlos Valdovinos avenue, where the Lo Valledor and Presidente Pedro Aguirre Cerda stations are located, Later, the line continues its route passing through the Franklin neighborhood, with the station of the same name and the Bío Bío station, then it would turn at Carlos Dittborn and Avenida Grecia, where the Ñuble and Estadio Nacional stations are located respectively, and then turn along Avenida Pedro de Valdivia, where the arrests of Ñuñoa and Inés de Suárez are located, ending the journey at Los Leones station at the intersection of Avenidas Providencia and Suecia in the northeastern sector of Santiago. Line 6, identified with the purple color, advances underground throughout its entire journey.
Unlike the other lines, Line 6 has a decongesting character than Line 1, as well as being the first line with trains with automatic pilot, platform doors and electrification through a catenary system. A new station, Isidora Goyenechea, will be built in the future to allow a combination with the future Line 7.
Seasons
List of Santiago Metro stations. In bold, stations connecting with other lines.
Line 1 From west to east | Line 2 From north to south | Line 3 From north to east | Line 4 From north-west to south-west | Line 4A From south to south | Line 5 From south-west | Line 6 From southeast to northeast |
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The Santiago Metro has a series of stations that were never built or never came into use, which are usually called ghost stations. Some can be mentioned, such as the Libertad station, located between the Cumming and Quinta Normal stations, on Line 5, and the Echeverría station, which is located between the La Cisterna and San Ramón stations, on Line 4A.
Interconnection
Since its construction, the Santiago Metro has been strongly connected with other means of transportation. This was due to the fact that the urban railway covered only some sectors of the city in its early years, since most of its passengers came from its peripheries.
For many years, Metro operated the Metrobus system created in 1987. This system consisted of approaching buses to stations of the metro network, mainly the terminals of the lines existing at that date. To this end, the Lo Ovalle, Puente Cal y Canto and Escuela Militar stations were established as places to combine this service with the Santiago Metro. Las Rejas and Bellavista de La Florida were later added. This last station was specially designed to be able to accommodate various means of transport that converged with the Metro.
In the early 2000s, planning began for an urban transportation master plan for Santiago. For this, Metro would be the structuring axis of the capital's transport. This is how the authorities decide to expand the subway network. This expansion contemplated the construction of new stations and lines, highlighting among the stations Quinta Normal and La Cisterna, which would be modal interchange stations. These new enclosures would allow a series of means of transport to be combined in the same place. The first, which would include a train station, would not be completed in the end due to various problems during the bidding process; on the other hand, in La Cisterna the La Cisterna Intermodal Station was finally inaugurated in mid-2007.
With the implementation of Transantiago, on February 10, 2007, the relationship between microbuses and the Metro was completed. Metro acquired an important coordinating role within the capital's transportation by incorporating the bip! card. as a means of payment. To improve the interconnectivity system, Transantiago incorporated a series of "transfer stations", many of which are located next to Santiago Metro stations. In this process, some of the old Metrobus service terminals were adapted to be used by the Transantiago feeder services. Likewise, together with the expansion of the metro network, new stations of this type were built. This is how the Vespucio Norte stations were established in February 2008 and the Del Sol station in the extension to Maipú of Line 5.
In addition, some stations have other means of transportation nearby. In the vicinity of the San Alberto Hurtado, Universidad de Santiago, Central Station and Los Héroes stations are the Santiago, Alameda, San Borja and Los Héroes intercity bus terminals, respectively. Some intercity buses, mainly in the direction of Valparaíso, make stops at the Pajaritos station, which has platforms for this purpose.
In addition to this, since the inauguration of Line 1, Metro de Santiago has had a combination with different rail services at the Central Station at its homonymous station on Line 1.
During 2006, some services to Rancagua were inaugurated from the Bellavista de La Florida station. Later, tours to the central coast would be included from the same station.
In March 2017, the Nos-Central Station Train service was inaugurated, a railway that connects Santiago with the town of Nos, in San Bernardo. This service has connections with the Santiago Metro at the Central Station and at Lo Valledor, both located next to the Metro stations of the same name. It is expected that in the future the metro will have connections with the train projects to Batuco and Melipilla.
Equipment and services
Within the stations, there are various services provided by the Santiago Metro in order to satisfy the needs of customers who use this means of transport. Currently, all stations have ticket offices, public telephones and Redbanc ATMs. In addition, on the platforms there are information panels, maps of the Network and the station environment and a series of televisions (in the main stations, plasma type) that through MetroTV transmit music videos, Metro information and news compacts.
In addition, since the inauguration of Line 5, all new stations have enabled elevators for disabled access. This service is also found in an extraordinary way at the Ecuador station on Line 1, which is located in front of the Teletón Institute of Santiago and there is another in the Loop station Pajaritos, according to the virtual model. In August 2019, elevators were inaugurated at the San Joaquín station, making Central Station the only one that currently lacks elevators.
On the other hand, there are Bibliometro modules in various stations, which since 1996 allow the lending of books to service customers. The modules are located at the stations Baquedano, Puente Cal y Canto, Los Héroes, San Pablo, Bellavista de La Florida, Ciudad del Niño, Vespucio Norte, Plaza de Armas, Plaza de Maipú, Los Domínicos, Irarrázaval, Macul, Franklin, Cerrillos, Ñuñoa and Inés de Suárez. The service currently has more than 35,000 active members and 154,000 titles were lent to them during 2005.
In August 2008, the Bicimetro service was implemented, which allows you to leave the bicycle parked all day paying only CL$300. This service is available at the stations Vespucio Norte, Escuela Militar, Grecia, Plaza Egaña, La Cistern, Las Mercedes and Christopher Columbus.
On September 8, 2018, the second bicycle parking system in subway stations was inaugurated, called “Linea Cero”, which contemplates the installation of bicycle racks at the entrances to the stations and which can be accessed through the payment of the service through a mobile application. The system debuted at the Cerrillos, Franklin, Bío-Bío, Presidente Pedro Aguirre Cerda and Inés de Suárez stations on Line 6; Subsequently, three bicycle racks were inaugurated in two stations on Line 3 (Cardenal Caro and Fernando Castillo Velasco) and one on Line 2 (El Parrón), planning to be present in 60 stations by the year 2020.
Corporate image
The Metro logo, created at the end of the 1960s and consisting of three red diamonds, signifies —according to the designer Peter Himmel and the architect Jaime Escudero, who participated in the first works of the underground train— the "indissoluble interconnection between the three elements: the surface (road), the circulation on the surface (buses) and the underground circulation (metro)".
Taking advantage of the inauguration of Line 5 in 1997, Metro de Santiago began a process of renewing its corporate image and station signage, which was in charge of the designers Sergio Mancilla, Mónica Ventura and Alejandro Orellana, and which It also included the development of its own typographic font, called "Métrika" and which is used in its logo, to which an oval surrounding the 3 diamonds was added, symbolizing the closing of a cycle and the insertion of Metro in the community. In December 1997, the process of changing the signage at the stations of the La Moneda-Salvador section on Line 1 began, continuing in the following months towards the rest of the network.
In January 2022, the Santiago Metro began a plan to replace damaged signs, within the framework of the reconstruction of stations that had been vandalized during the social outbreak of 2019. The new signs have technology and lighting led, thus facilitating its maintenance and contributing to the environment. The installation of a total of 68 new signs in 46 stations of the network was announced.
Rolling stock
The rolling stock of the Santiago Metro is powered by electricity with a voltage of 750 volts (V) of direct current (CC), through a third rail on lines 1, 2, 4, 4A and 5 or through catenary rigid on lines 3 and 6. The gauge used is 1435 mm. Lines 1, 2 and 5 are designed for the use of trains with pneumatic tread, while lines 3, 4, 4A and 6 are designed for trains with railway tread.
The first trains, NS-74, began to arrive in 1975, completing all the convoys in 1981. In total there were 49 trains of 5 cars each, but after a reform process only 35 trains remained in operation. Later, in 1988, a formation of 5 cars, NS-88, was acquired due to the destruction of an NS-74 train. This was due to an attack at the Tobalaba station in 1986.
In 1996, the first formations of the NS-93 train entered, manufactured in France by GEC Alsthom. These trains made their debut on Line 5 around 1997, later they were transferred to lines 1 and 2. They currently run on Line 1 in an 8-car configuration, and on Line 5 with formations of 6 and 7 cars.
With the construction of Line 4, the acquisition of the AS-2002 trains began. Specifically, 72 modular units made up of 3 cars each were acquired. This new rolling stock was ordered from Alstom's Brazilian plant.
Subsequently, after the start of Transantiago in 2007, the NS-2004 trains entered the service, as a measure to mitigate the increase in demand for the service on Line 1. They currently circulate on Line 2. Metro awarded the tender for the renewal of trains for Line 1 to the Spanish company CAF for a cost of 250 million dollars. The 20 NS-2007 model trains entered service in November 2009. In 2012, Metro began the acquisition of 14 NS-2012 model trains, which, like the NS-2007, were also manufactured by CAF. These new cars are the first to incorporate factory air conditioning into the fleet.
With the inauguration of Line 6, the AS-2014 model trains came into operation, which stand out for their fully automated driving. These trains are the first within the Metro fleet to not have driver's cabs. On September 13, 2018, the first NS-2016 train began to circulate on Line 2; These trains are the first fully assembled in Chile.
The maintenance of the trains is carried out in workshops specially arranged for such work. These workshops also function as garages and are located near the following stations: Neptuno, Lo Ovalle, Los Libertadores, Las Mercedes, Quilín, Ñuble and Cerrillos. A new workshop is expected to open in 2022 near the Vespucio Norte station.
At the end of 2019, as a result of the protests that took place in Chile, several trains were attacked. Due to this 7 formations were completely burned down, 1 NS-2007 and 6 AS-2002. Likewise, other units suffered damage of different kinds.
The distribution of trains is as follows:
| Model | Year of construction | Type of bearing | Constructora | No. of trains | Opera in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS-74 | 1973-1981 | Pneuma | Alsthom Groupe Brissonneau | 24 | |
| NS-88 | 1987 | Pneuma | Lane | 1 | Low |
| NS-93 | 1996-2003 | Pneuma | GEC Alsthom | 33 | |
| AS-2002 | 2004-2010 | Aircraft | Alstom | 69 | |
| NS-2004 | 2006-2007 | Pneuma | Alstom | 11 | |
| NS-2007 | 2009-2010 | Pneuma | CAF | 19 | |
| NS-2012 | 2012-2013 | Pneuma | CAF | 14 | |
| AS-2014 | 2014-2017 | Aircraft | CAF | 37 | |
| NS-2016 | 2017-2021 | Pneuma | Alstom | 35 | |
Rates and payment methods
Currently, there is only one means of payment for the use of the Santiago Metro service: the Bip! Previously, it was also possible to access with tickets, which allowed for only one trip, being entered into the turnstiles that separate public access to the station from the platform sector. These tickets could be purchased at the ticket offices available at all stations; however, in 2017 Metro began the process of total replacement of this system, which was carried out between August 2017 and March 2018. The Bip! card, which replaced the previous Multivía, meanwhile, is a rechargeable card in all ticket offices and other commercial premises throughout the city, and that allows passage to the platforms by bringing the device closer to the turnstiles, without the need for direct contact. This card costs CL$1,550 (approx. US$2.59) and its minimum load is CL$1,000 (approx. US$1.6). The use of the card allows the use of an integrated rate system when using the Metropolitan Mobility Network.
The Santiago Metro currently has a fare system determined according to the hours of use of the service, use of combined bus services and benefits for the elderly and students.
| Time zones | Openings 07:00 - 08:59 18:00 - 19:59 | Time valley 09:00 - 17:59 20:00 - 20:44 Sab, dom and fest. | Low hours 06:00 - 06:59 20:45 - 23:00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro | CLP 800 | CLP 720 | CLP 640 |
| Metro + bus | CLP 800 | CLP 720 | CLP 700 |
| Bus | CLP 700 | ||
| Student | CLP 230 | ||
| Older adult (subway only) | |||
| Older adult (bus) | CLP 350 | ||
| Older adult (meter + bus) | |||
In the case of the Student rate, for Basic Education students, access is free by presenting their National Student Card (TNE) issued by MINEDUC; for Secondary and Higher Education it has a cost of CL$230 and its minimum charge is CL$500, through the use of the national student card as a smart card for integrated rate. Of the total Metro passengers in 2006, 23.8% corresponded to students.
In the case of those over 65 years of age, they must request a certificate in order to purchase a “senior adult ticket” at the Metro Customer Service offices —located in certain stations. Its use is allowed during all hours, with the restriction of a maximum of two daily trips. However, this service is not integrated into the Metropolitan Mobility Network system, so the benefit only applies when only using the Metro. During 2006, 1.5% of passengers used this type of benefit. On June 14, 2017, the end of the Metro ticket system was announced, so older adults will have a personalized card with technology similar to the one of the card beep! since August of that year. Its cost is equal to that of students.
Since January 2014, once Metro S.A. took over the administration of the Transantiago collection system, has enabled cards for tourists with a cost of CL$8,000 and CL$13,000. The cost of the card includes, in addition to the plastic, a map with central routes of the capital's transportation and most prominent places, a tourist circuit associated with Transantiago and a map of the underground train.
A new payment card for seniors was announced in July 2020. This card, named Beep! Older adults, lives with the one provided by Metro de Santiago, except that it can also be used on buses and costs CL$350. However, the user must choose which of the two benefits to use.
Culture and art
Along with its development as a means of transportation, the Santiago Metro has had an interest in promoting culture and art since its inception. Within this are the initiatives of Bibliometro, the promotion of various cultural events through the MetroCultura panels placed in most of the stations of the Network and other activities carried out by the MetroArte Foundation. For this, the Metro has various locations such as the Pablo Neruda Room in the Quinta Normal station, the Multisala Cultural in Baquedano and the open art gallery in Puente Cal y Canto.
Some stations have incorporated various works of art into their structure. The most important is the largest mural in Latin America, located along the entire platform area of the Universidad de Chile station: Visual memory of a nation by Mario Toral. Composed of two parts, Visual Memory of a Nation includes various images that narrate the history of Chile. Other works are located in Santa Lucía, where the work Azulejos para Santiago by Rogério Ribeiro was installed in 1996; and La Moneda, whose platforms were completely redesigned in 2005 to house a series of realistic paintings with various landscapes of the country, made by the national painter Guillermo Muñoz Vera. The work Verbo América by Roberto Matta was installed in the Quinta Normal station in 2008, consisting of 55 polychrome ceramic palettes measuring 4.8×10.6 m.
In addition, in various stations there are a series of dioramas that show episodes of the history of Chile; these works are produced by Luis Gutiérrez, known under the pseudonym Zerreitug.
Metro de Santiago has also shown interest in promoting Chilean literary culture, which is why in 2001 it joined the Santiago in 100 Words project, in conjunction with Plagio and Minera Escondida, which consists of the creation of short stories that address the theme of contemporary urban life.
Trade
In January 2021, the Santiago Metro network had a total of 411 commercial premises in its stations, distributed as follows:
| Line | Premises trade |
|---|---|
 | 147 |
 | 54 |
 | 22 |
 | 54 |
 | 24 |
 | 66 |
 | 46 |
Among the commercial premises are convenience stores, pharmacies, bakeries, fast food, cafes, as well as general stores, financial and logistics services, among others. On October 28, 2018, it was inaugurated the "Bazar Metro" at the Plaza de Armas station, following the style of other metropolitan railways that have shops to sell souvenirs and objects with the brand; the physical store was later closed and functions only as an online store. In September 2019, "Mercado a un Metro" was inaugurated, a space intended for entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in order to be able to market their products through small stands located inside the stations; The first of these spaces was set up at the Universidad de Chile station on Line 3.
Incidents and accidents
The Santiago Metro has not been exempt from accidents, even though the number of these has been low:
- On 21 June 2002, a derailation occurred in Las Rejas, hindering the roads, without registering injured.
- On 10 February 2008, a derailment occurred on the road of exchange between Los Heroes and Santa Ana, which interrupted the service of Line 2.
- On 4 August 2008, one train collided with another one that was approaching passengers at the Prince of Wales station Line 4, leaving four people injured.
- On 3 September 2009, a train was derailed leaving the Neptune workshops, which disrupted the normal operation of Line 1.
- On 8 February 2012, a train crossed the walls of the Lo Ovalle workshops, impacting a condominium and destroying several vehicles.
- On October 28, 2019 a train from the Line 2, between the Cerro Blanco and Cementerios stations, suffered an electrical failure resulting in Δexplosions by electric arc in the middle of the tunnel, emanation of smoke, loss of lighting in the cars and generalized concern in the passengers. The incident occurred around 13:00, causing a massive evacuation. Line 2 was only available between La Cisterna and Cerro Blanco; the service was normalized at 15:22.
- On December 11, 2019 a train that went to passenger service derailed in the vicinity of the Ñuble station, and caused the operation of Line 5 to be affected between the Bustamante Park and Vicente Valdés stations.
- On May 17, 2022, a train from Line 1 at Las Rejas station underwent an electric arc explosion of its battery bank and smoke emanation due to a technical failure. The incident occurred around 7:45 – the end of the service – causing a massive evacuation and two people injured by falls. The stations between San Pablo and Universidad de Santiago were out of service until 15:45, generating road congestion on the surface.
- On August 16, 2022 a train from Line 2 suffered a derailation in the early morning—out of the service hours— during the parking process at Einstein station, blocking and generating damage on both tracks, suspending the train service between Vespucio Norte and Cemeteries throughout the day of Tuesday 16 and until 17:30—before the evening peak hours—of Wednesday, causing road chaos on the surface.
- On August 27, 2022, a power problem on Line 2 forced the total closure of that line from 18:30, as well as the combinations to it. This led to the massive evacuation of passengers by generating atochamientos. According to the users there was widespread loss of lighting and concern, intensified by "restras and decoordination in evacuations"; on the surface the bus service was strengthened. Until the end of the day the line remained unserviceable, however, it resumed on August 28, 2022.
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