Maracaibo Metro

Maracaibo Metro
Maracaibo Metro
Overview
Locale	Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela
Transit type	Light rail/rapid transit
Number of lines	1
Number of stations	6
Daily ridership	42,000
Operation
Began operation	2006
Technical
System length	6.5 km (4.0 mi)

The Maracaibo Metro, also known as Metro del Sol Amado, is a six-station light rail system in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Service between La Vanega and El Varillal (skipping Urdaneta) opened to the public on 25 November 2006, with the last station on the line opened on 9 June 2009.^{[citation needed]}

The line encompasses the suburbs of Maracaibo and Maracaibo itself as drop-off point. Also one station is a transfer point between rail services provided by IAFE. There are a total of six stations along the line – two elevated stations (Urdaneta and Libertador), and four at-grade stations.

The line was built by the city government of Maracaibo and the Venezuelan national government. In March 2009 it was reported that corruption allegations regarding the 1998 signing of the construction contract with Siemens were being investigated.^[2]

Lines

Line 1

The first stage of line 1 will be 6.9 km (4.3 mi) long.^{[citation needed]} The totally planned system of four lines shall have 60 km (37 mi) in the future.

German company Siemens is supplying signalling, telecommunication and electrification systems as well as the first 7 metro trains, based on the vehicles running on the Prague Metro line C.

The first of 4 proposed lines, Line 1, has opened some stations while others are still under construction or in the planning/design stages. A feeder 1.1 km (0.68 mi) support line connects the maintenance and train yard areas to the terminal station Altos de La Vanega.

Line	Terminals	Service	Length	Stations	Notes
1	Altos de la Vanega ↔ El Varillal	November 25, 2006	1.2 km	2	Free service with 600 passenger capacity
	Altos de la Vanega ↔ El Guayabal	August 27, 2007	2.5 km	3	First fare collection BsF 0,5 (23US cents) was introduced January 21, 2008. Service hours: Monday to Friday 6:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, Sundays and holidays 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
	Altos de la Vanega ↔ Sabaneta	May 11, 2008	3.4 km	4
	Altos de la Vanega ↔ Libertador	June 8, 2009	6.5 km	6

Stations

Line 1: First Stage

Altos de La Vanega
El Varillal
El Guayabal
Sabaneta
Urdaneta
Libertador

Line 1: Second Stage (Under study)

Probable additional stations are:

Padilla
Falcón
5 de Julio

Line 2 (Under study)

Probable stations are:

5 de Julio
Paraíso
Indio Mara
Universidad
Polideportivo
Galerías
Panamericano
Mercado Periférico
La Curva de Molina

Rolling stock

The Maracaibo Metro is served by 7 sets of 3-car Siemens Mobility trains, a modification of the M1 type rolling stock used on the Prague Metro.

References

^ "Metro de Maracaibo estima movilizar 42 mil usuarios diarios estas navidades". Gobierno Bolivariano de Venezuela. Archived from the original on 17 June 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
^ "Subcomisión de Contraloría de la AN investiga caso de denuncias contra Siemens". Globovision.com (in Spanish). 10 March 2009. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2009.

External links

Media related to Maracaibo Metro at Wikimedia Commons

[1] "Metro de Maracaibo estima movilizar 42 mil usuarios diarios estas navidades". Gobierno Bolivariano de Venezuela. Archived from the original on 17 June 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.

[2] "Subcomisión de Contraloría de la AN investiga caso de denuncias contra Siemens". Globovision.com (in Spanish). 10 March 2009. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2009.

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