Maracaibo Metro
Encyclopedia
The Maracaibo Metro, also known as Metro del Sol Amado, is a six-station metro
system in Maracaibo
, Venezuela
. Service between La Vanega and El Varillal (skipping Urdaneta) opened to the public on November 25, 2006, with all stations on the line opened on June 9, 2009.
The metro 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
.
The subway 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.
The first stage of line 1 will be 6.9 km long. The totally planned system of four lines shall have 60 km in the future.
German company Siemens
is supplying signalling, telecommunication and electrification system
s 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 support line connects the maintenance and train yard areas to the terminal station Altos de La Vanega.
Line 1: Second Stage (Under study)
Probable additional stations are:
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
system in Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. Service between La Vanega and El Varillal (skipping Urdaneta) opened to the public on November 25, 2006, with all stations on the line opened on June 9, 2009.
The metro 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
Instituto Autónomo de Ferrocarriles del Estado
The Instituto de Ferrocariles del Estado is a state-run organization of Venezuela that manages the railway systems of the country...
.
The subway 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
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
were being investigated.
Line 1
German company Siemens
Siemens AG
Siemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
is supplying signalling, telecommunication and electrification system
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
s 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 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 25th 2006 | 1.2 km | 2 | Free service with 600 passenger capacity |
| Altos de la Vanega ↔ El Guayabal | August 27th 2007 | 2.5 km | 3 | First fare collection BsF 0,5 (23US cents) was introduced January 21st 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 11th 2008 | 3.4 km | 4 | ||
| Altos de la Vanega ↔ Libertador | June 8th 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
- Paraíso
- Indio Mara
- Universidad
- Polideportivo
- Galerías
- Panamericano
- Mercado Periférico
- La Curva de Molina