Lima and Callao Metro
| Company type | Rapid transit network |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transport |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founder | Alan García (initiated construction) |
| Headquarters | Lima , Peru |
Area served | Lima metropolitan region |
| Products | Rapid transit services (Lines 1 and 2 active) |
| Parent | Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) |
The Lima and Callao Metro () is a rapid transit network operating within the Lima metropolitan region, connecting districts from Villa El Salvador in the southern area to San Juan de Lurigancho in the northeast, with an additional segment serving the eastern part of the metro area. Currently, two lines (Lines 1 and 2) are active, while plans exist for four more lines.
Line 1 began full commercial service on July 28, 2014, following numerous years of postponements. Initial construction commenced during Alan García’s first presidential term (1985–1990) with seven stations planned but was suspended due to low demand and corruption allegations related to a $226 million investment co-financed by Italy. Work resumed under García’s second administration (2006–2011), culminating in Line 1’s official launch in 2014.
The finalized Line 1 stretches as an elevated viaduct featuring 26 stations that serve districts including Villa El Salvador, Villa María del Triunfo, San Juan de Miraflores, Santiago de Surco, Surquillo, San Borja, San Luis, La Victoria, Lima District, and San Juan de Lurigancho. Until 2017, its viaduct held the record for the longest in Latin America and worldwide before being overtaken by Wuhan Metro Line 1.
Line 2 began service on December 21, 2023, inaugurating five stations within the Santa Anita district to broaden transit access.
1970s: Initial Planning
Between 1972 and 1973, the "Metrolima" consortium conducted feasibility analyses and prepared a preliminary project for a "Mass Rapid Transit System for Passengers in the Metropolitan Area of Lima and Callao," which received government approval in 1974. However, political turmoil following President Juan Velasco Alvarado’s illness, challenging seismic soil conditions, and a global economic downturn hindered securing the necessary US$317 million funding. As a result, the ambitious plan for five underground lines never materialized.
1980s: Early Construction Efforts
In 1986, President Alan García created the "Autonomous Authority for the Mass Transit Electrical Transport System Special Project" through Supreme Decree N° 001-86 MIPRE. This agency awarded a public contract to the Italian-supported "Consorcio Tralima" consortium to develop an elevated viaduct metro system.
Construction started on October 18, 1986, with a train maintenance depot established in Villa El Salvador. Progress continued steadily until reaching Atocongo Station; however, Peru soon encountered a deep economic and social crisis compounded by corruption scandals involving President García, which halted further development. The original plan intended to extend along Av. Aviación to Dos de Mayo Hospital in central Lima but was abandoned due to lack of funds.
On April 28, 1990, shortly before concluding his presidency, García partially inaugurated the unfinished line. Because of its limited reach and low passenger numbers, ongoing operational investments were unjustifiable, leaving the metro largely nonfunctional. Subsequent administrations attempted to revive the project but often used its completion as a political pledge without delivering results.
Municipal governments along the metro corridor sought to reduce urban blight by landscaping incomplete sections with grass and plants and painting columns with Peruvian motifs as a sign of project abandonment. On August 5, 2001, control of AATE (Electrical Train Autonomous Authority) was transferred to the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima via Urgency Decree N° 058–2001. Following this transfer, metro activities were restricted to preventive maintenance runs.
For more than twenty years, the unfinished infrastructure became emblematic of mismanagement during APRA’s first government (1985–1990). The stalled project inspired satire among artists and musicians; notably Juan Luis Dammert’s song "El Tren Eléctrico" and Camila Bustamante’s fictional "Lima 2427" campaign humorously projected its completion date based on construction delays. This campaign emphasized that the original design envisioned seven interconnected metro lines serving Lima.
2010s: Finalization of the inaugural line
In 2009, oversight of the AATE (Electrical Train Autonomous Authority) was transferred to the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC), which also assigned "Provias Nacional" the responsibility of managing a public tender for completing the metro system. Funding for the project included a $300 million loan granted by the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), authorized on August 18, 2009.
The government awarded the contract on December 2, 2009, to the "Consorcio Tren Eléctrico Lima," a partnership between Brazilian firm Odebrecht and Peruvian company Graña y Montero. This contract covered construction from the unfinished initial segment to Grau station in central Lima. Construction commenced on March 2, 2010; the second segment opened on July 11, 2011. Public operations for the third segment, connecting central Lima with San Juan de Lurigancho, began on July 25, 2014.
On December 23, 2010, President Alan Garcia issued supreme decree 059-2010-MTC, which established Lima and Callao's Basic Metro Network. This blueprint envisioned a five-line metro system featuring a combination of surface-level, elevated, and underground tracks aimed at enhancing urban transit infrastructure.
2020s: Development of Line 2
The "Nuevo Metro de Lima" consortium—composed of Peru's COSAPI, Italy's Impregilo, Ansaldo Breda & Ansaldo STS, as well as Spain's Iridium and Vialia—secured the contract to build Line 2 of the Lima Metro along with a portion of Line 4 that connects to the airport. The agreement was finalized on April 28, 2014.
Although initially scheduled for completion in 2021, only the first five-kilometer section with five stations was completed by January 2024 and began operation in December 2023.
Line 1
Line 1 stretches through sixteen stations spaced approximately apart, running from Villa El Salvador in Lima’s southern zone through Villa María del Triunfo, San Juan de Miraflores, Surco, and terminating at Av. Grau in downtown Lima.
The line operates trains from the 1980s manufactured by AnsaldoBreda. To increase service frequency and accommodate a planned expansion to a total of 26 stations, upgrades include acquiring an additional 42 trains, renovating stations, refurbishing carriages with air conditioning installations, and introducing 19 new Alstom trains inspired by Barcelona Metro’s 9000 Series. Uniquely among South American metros, Line 1 employs left-hand track running.
Before July 2014, Line 1 extended from Villa El Salvador—where its maintenance yard is situated—to Miguel Grau station located in central Lima.
Extension of Line 1
The third phase of construction completed on July 25, 2014 added a further extension spanning with ten new stations. This expansion brought Line 1’s overall length to , serving a total of 26 stations.
Line 2
On February 15, 2012, President Ollanta Humala announced plans for constructing Lima Metro Line 2—a fully subterranean route running west to east over a distance of 27 km. It will link Callao port with Lima’s Historic Center and eastern districts including Santa Anita and Ate. The line is designed for full automation and will be accessible for individuals with disabilities.
Line 2 will connect with the existing BRT Central Station located in Lima’s historic core. The project also encompasses the initial eight kilometers of Line 4, which will connect Carmen de la Legua station to the International Airport.
An international consortium was awarded the $5.364 billion contract to undertake construction work starting in September 2014.
Stage 1a
The initial segment (1a) commenced operations on 21 December 2023,[1] encompassing five stations along a 5 km route from Evitamiento to Mercado Santa Anita.[2] At present, these stations function independently from Line 1, with plans for integration in subsequent phases. Construction continues on the remaining sections of Line 2, aiming for completion by 2028.
Line 3
On March 21, 2012, Lima’s mayor Susana Villaran unveiled a feasibility analysis for an underground metro corridor largely aligned with the original Line 3 route proposed by the national government. This study, carried out in 2009 with assistance from the French government, focuses on a heavily trafficked north-south transit axis.
The mayor noted that the Ministry of Transport and Communications would review these findings, estimating a construction period of approximately four years. Due to widely spaced stations, the line is characterized as "high speed."
On May 13, 2013, the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) declared that concessions for Lines 3 and 4 were scheduled to be granted by July 2016 as part of the broader five-line network development.
Line 4
On May 9, 2012, Hector Rene Rodriguez, director of the Private Investment Promotion Agency (Proinversión), announced that Lines 2 and 4 would be constructed concurrently by the MTC. Line 4 is planned to run east-west, linking La Molina district with Jorge Chávez International Airport.
Its initial phase includes an eight-station branch connecting Line 2 directly to the airport. Construction commenced alongside Line 2 in 2024 and is projected to span four years.
Line 5
Metro Line 5 is designed to serve southern districts such as Miraflores, Barranco, and Chorrillos, terminating near the Villa toll on the southern Panamerican highway. Currently, no formal design or construction studies have been initiated for this line.
Line 6
Introduced in 2014 as a private sector proposal, Metro Line 6 is currently under assessment. Ongoing studies will determine technical specifications including whether the route will be underground, elevated, or a combination of both. The proposed alignment covers approximately 32 km from Naranjal Station on the Metropolitano BRT system through principal avenues such as Tupac Amaru and Universitaria.
See also
- Transport in Lima
- El Metropolitano
- List of metro systems
- List of rapid transit systems
- List of Latin American rail transit systems