Mexico City Metrobús
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The Mexico City Metrobús (former official name Sistema de Corredores de Transporte Público de Pasajeros del Distrito Federal), simply known as Metrobús, is a bus rapid transit (BRT) system that has served
Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
since line 1 opened on 19 June 2005. As of February 2018, it consists of seven lines that cross the city and connects with other forms of transit, such as the
Mexico City Metro The Mexico City Metro () is a rapid transit system that serves Greater Mexico City, the metropolitan area of Mexico City, including some municipalities in the State of Mexico. Operated by the Sistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC), it is the Lis ...
. The most recent line to open was line 7, running for the first time
double-decker bus A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or decks. Double-deckers are used primarily for commuter transport, but open-top models are used as sightseeing buses for tourists, and there are coaches too for long-distance travel. They app ...
es along the city's iconic boulevard,
Paseo de la Reforma Paseo de la Reforma (literally "Promenade of La Reforma, the Reform") is a wide avenue that runs diagonally across the heart of Mexico City. It was designed at the behest of Maximilian of Mexico, Emperor Maximilian by Ferdinand von Rosenzweig d ...
. In 2016, Metrobús carried on average 1,152,603 passengers on weekdays.


Impact

Line 1 replaced 372 standard buses and microbuses that served Avenida de los Insurgentes with 212 articulated buses that run at an average speed of , doing as maximum. Doing so, travel times along the corridor were reduced up to 50%. Besides addressing the bus service problem, the Metrobús project emerged in the context of the city's efforts to reduce
air pollution Air pollution is the presence of substances in the Atmosphere of Earth, air that are harmful to humans, other living beings or the environment. Pollutants can be Gas, gases like Ground-level ozone, ozone or nitrogen oxides or small particles li ...
with a program called Proaire 2002–2010. According to Metrobús, annual environmental benefits include a reduction of of
carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalent bond, covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in a gas state at room temperature and at norma ...
, of
carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a poisonous, flammable gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the si ...
, of
NOx In atmospheric chemistry, is shorthand for nitric oxide () and nitrogen dioxide (), the nitrogen oxides that are most relevant for air pollution. These gases contribute to the formation of smog and acid rain, as well as affecting tro ...
, and of
PM10 Particulate matter (PM) or particulates are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. An ''aerosol'' is a mixture of particulates and air, as opposed to the particulate matter alone, though it is sometimes defined ...
particulates. The BRT-corridor Line 3 is going to become fully electric in the course of 2023. This will reduce air pollution and enhance climate protection


Passenger access and payment

Ticketing is by pre-paid proximity
smartcard A smart card (SC), chip card, or integrated circuit card (ICC or IC card), is a card used to control access to a resource. It is typically a plastic credit card-sized card with an embedded integrated circuit (IC) chip. Many smart cards include a ...
, which travellers have to pass through turnstiles at the entry to the separated bus platforms. During the early months of the system's operations, limited availability of the cards required a temporary method for access to the system involving purchasing a normal single-trip paper ticket at a cost of MXN$4.50. Starting in October 2005, and with smartcard supply able to cover the demand, access is done exclusively by using the card. As of 2022, the single-trip cost is MXN$6.00 (USD$). A new MB
smartcard A smart card (SC), chip card, or integrated circuit card (ICC or IC card), is a card used to control access to a resource. It is typically a plastic credit card-sized card with an embedded integrated circuit (IC) chip. Many smart cards include a ...
, preloaded with one voyage, can be purchased for MXN$15.00 and "recharged" for MXN$6.00 per trip. There is a supplemental fee of MXN$30.00 for trips to or from the airport. The smartcard system has generated controversy, especially from occasional and one-time users who complain about the MXN$15.00 fee for a single-voyage card, for this is common that sometimes people ask others who have the smartcard to charge for them a trip. Service is free for those over 70 years old, or disabled, as well as for children under 5 accompanied by an adult.


Lines and hours


Line 1

The line starts at
Metro Indios Verdes Indios Verdes metro station is a station of the Mexico City Metro along Avenida de los Insurgentes, in Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City. It is an at-grade station with two island platforms serving as the northern terminus of Line 3 (the ...
, a large
multimodal transport Multimodal transport (also known as combined transport) is the transportation of goods under a single contract, but performed with at least two different modes of transport; the carrier is liable (in a legal sense) for the entire carriage, even t ...
node in the Gustavo A. Madero borough. From there it runs south, through
Cuauhtémoc Cuauhtémoc (, ), also known as Cuauhtemotzín, Guatimozín, or Guatémoc, was the Aztec ruler ('' tlatoani'') of Tenochtitlan from 1520 to 1521, and the last Aztec Emperor. The name Cuauhtemōc means "one who has descended like an eagle", an ...
and
Benito Juárez Benito Pablo Juárez García (; 21 March 1806 – 18 July 1872) was a Mexican politician, military commander, and lawyer who served as the 26th president of Mexico from 1858 until his death in office in 1872. A Zapotec peoples, Zapotec, he w ...
, before terminating in the La Joya district of
Tlalpan Tlalpan ( , 'place on the earth') is a Boroughs of Mexico City, borough (''demarcación territorial'') in Mexico City. It is the largest borough, with over 80% under conservation as forest and other ecologically sensitive area. The rest, almost al ...
borough, providing a total of 45 stations. It was built in two sections, with a split at
Metro Insurgentes Insurgentes is an under-reconstruction metro station, station on the Mexico City Metro Line 1, Line 1 of Mexico City Metro. It is located within the Glorieta de los Insurgentes at the intersection of Avenida de los Insurgentes and Avenida Chap ...
, the notional dividing point between the avenue's northern and southern stretches, just south of where Avenida Insurgentes intersects with
Paseo de la Reforma Paseo de la Reforma (literally "Promenade of La Reforma, the Reform") is a wide avenue that runs diagonally across the heart of Mexico City. It was designed at the behest of Maximilian of Mexico, Emperor Maximilian by Ferdinand von Rosenzweig d ...
. The first line covers a distance of up to , running in a dedicated bus lane built within the
central reservation A median strip, central reservation, roadway median, or traffic median is the reserved area that separates opposing lanes of traffic on divided roadways such as divided highways, dual carriageways, freeways, and motorways. The term also ap ...
(median) of
Avenida de los Insurgentes Avenida de los Insurgentes (), sometimes known simply as Insurgentes, is the longest avenue in Mexico City, with a length of on a north-south axis across the city. Insurgentes has its origins in what was during the early 20th century known as ...
. Avenida Insurgentes is one of the city's main north–south arterial routes, constitutes a section of the
Pan-American Highway The Pan-American Highway is a vast network of roads that stretches about 30,000 kilometers (about 19,000 miles) from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in the northernmost part of North America to Ushuaia, Argentina, at the southern tip of South America. I ...
, and is reputed to be the longest urban avenue in the world. On its route south from Indios Verdes, the Metrobús also connects with
Metro Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...
stations at Deportivo 18 de Marzo, Potrero,
La Raza In Mexico, the Spanish expression ('the people'; literally: 'the race') has historically been used to refer to the mixed-race populations (primarily though not always exclusively in the Western Hemisphere), considered as an ethnic or racia ...
, Buenavista, Revolución, Insurgentes, and
Chilpancingo Chilpancingo de los Bravo (commonly shortened to Chilpancingo; ; Nahuatl: Chilpantzinco ()) is the capital and second-largest city of the Mexican state of Guerrero. In 2010 it had a population of 187,251 people. The municipality has an area of ...
, providing connections with Metro Lines 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 9. The proposed southward extension of
Mexico City Metro Line 7 Mexico City Metro Line 7 is one of the twelve rapid transit, metro lines operating in Mexico City, Mexico. Opened in 1984, it was the seventh line to be built. Its distinctive color is orange. With a length of and 14 stations, Line 7 runs throug ...
will also enable that line to connect at the Metrobús' original southernmost station, Doctor Gálvez. The first metrobus service began along the northernmost portion of Line 1 on 19 June 2005. Initial service was from
Metro Indios Verdes Indios Verdes metro station is a station of the Mexico City Metro along Avenida de los Insurgentes, in Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City. It is an at-grade station with two island platforms serving as the northern terminus of Line 3 (the ...
south to
Metro Insurgentes Insurgentes is an under-reconstruction metro station, station on the Mexico City Metro Line 1, Line 1 of Mexico City Metro. It is located within the Glorieta de los Insurgentes at the intersection of Avenida de los Insurgentes and Avenida Chap ...
. This was quickly followed by a southward expansion from Metro Insurgentes to MB station Doctor Gálvez, bringing the line length up to . Many of the stations along Line 1 feature cantilevered glass canopies designed by architect Carlos Monge. The original Line 1 was expanded with the inclusion of nine new stations in order to achieve full coverage of Avenida Insurgentes. The southward expansion of service along Line 1 started service on 13 March 2008 and brought the line's length up to .


Line 2

Line 2 runs along Eje 4 Sur from Tacubaya in the west, where there is a connection to the
Metro Tacubaya Tacubaya is a station on Lines 1, 7 and 9 of the Mexico City Metro system. It is located in the Miguel Hidalgo borough, west of the city centre. In 2019, the station had a total average ridership of 85,800 passengers per day, making it the f ...
station; via Etiopía, Patriotismo and crossing Line 1 (Insurgentes) at Nuevo León, to Tepalcates in the east, where there is a connection to the Metro Tepalcates station. The line opened on 16 December 2008.


Line 3

Line 3 runs from
Tenayuca Tenayuca ( ) is a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican archaeological site in the Valley of Mexico. In the Postclassic period of Mesoamerican chronology, Tenayuca was a settlement on the former shoreline of the western arm of Lake Texcoco. It was locate ...
northwest of the city southward to Pueblo Santa Cruz Atoyac, where there is connection to
Metro Zapata Zapata is a station on Line 3 and Line 12 of the Mexico City Metro, in the Benito Juárez borough of Mexico City. The station logo depicts Emiliano Zapata, a national hero from the Mexican Revolution of 1910–1921. The station serves th ...
station. According to the Mexican newspaper, '' El Universal'', construction of the first of ''Línea'' 3 (line 3) began on 5 March 2010 and was scheduled to end in April 2011. However, service along Line 3 started on 8 February 2011. During construction, for every tree taken down three were planted, for a total of 1,546 trees planted. In addition, it was estimated that Line 3 will carry 100,000 passengers per day. Travel time will be reduced by up to 40%. Line 3 opened on 8 February 2011.


Line 4

Line 4 runs from
Buenavista railway station Buenavista is a commuter railway station in Mexico City. The station provided intercity train services from Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México. Since June 2008, the station serves as the terminus of the Tren Suburbano commuter rail service. At ...
in the west of the city eastward towards
Mexico City International Airport Mexico City International Airport (); officially ''Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez'' (Benito Juárez International Airport) is the primary international airport serving Greater Mexico City. It is the List of the busiest airports in Me ...
. In late 2010 the
Head of Government of the Federal District The head of government () wields executive power in Mexico City. The head of government serves a six-year term, running concurrently with that of the president of the Republic. Mexico City, or CDMX, is the seat of national government, and is l ...
Marcelo Ebrard Marcelo Luis Ebrard Casaubón (; born 10 October 1959) is a Mexicans, Mexican politician who has served as the Secretariat of Economy, secretary of economy since 2024. He previously served as Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Mexico), Secretary of ...
announced a plan to build the new line. Construction on Line 4 started on 4 July 2011, although the start of construction was met with some protest from residents and business owners along the proposed route. Line 4 included a two-step construction process with the first operational segment built between Buenavista and
Metro San Lázaro Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...
. An extension provides travel between San Lázaro and the airport. Instead of travelling along a single avenue or axis road, Line 4 traffic circulates around the Centro Histórico. To navigate the turns and narrow streets in and near the Centro Histórico, Line 4 uses light buses instead of the
articulated bus An articulated bus, also referred to as a slinky bus, bendy bus, tandem bus, vestibule bus, stretch bus, or an accordion bus, is an articulated vehicle, typically a motor bus or trolleybus, used in public transportation. It is usually a ...
es used on the other lines in the system. The stations for Line 4 look more like conventional bus stops and are built at curbside instead of within a dedicated portion of a central reservation as used on the other lines. Line 4 opened on 1 April 2012.


Line 5

On 5 November 2013, Line 5 opened, running along Eje 3 Oriente connecting
San Lázaro San Lázaro is a town in the Concepción department of Paraguay. Located 660 km from Asunción and 190 km from departmental capital Concepción, its population was 9060 in 2002. Located at the confluence of rivers Paraguay and Apa. Th ...
east of downtown with Río de los Remedios avenue to the northeast. Since 7 September 2020, Line 5 was expanded to southeastern Mexico City, to Las Bombas avenue.


Line 6

Line 6 is an east–west line connecting the northwest and northeast of the city, running along Eje 5 Norte from
El Rosario ''El rosario'' is a 1944 Mexican romantic drama film directed by Juan José Ortega. The film is based on a novel by Florence L. Barclay. It stars Andrea Palma, Tomás Perrín, and Tana Devodier Tana may refer to: Places Africa * Lake Tana, a ...
to Villa de Aragón Line 6 opened on 21 January 2016.


Line 7

Line 7 opened on 28 February 2018, with service along the city's iconic boulevard,
Paseo de la Reforma Paseo de la Reforma (literally "Promenade of La Reforma, the Reform") is a wide avenue that runs diagonally across the heart of Mexico City. It was designed at the behest of Maximilian of Mexico, Emperor Maximilian by Ferdinand von Rosenzweig d ...
, on part of the line from Monumento Cuitláhuac to
La Diana ''The Seven Books of the Diana'' (Spanish: ''Los siete libros de la Diana'') is a pastoral romance written in Spanish by the Portuguese author Jorge de Montemayor. The romance was first published in 1559, though later editions expanded upon the o ...
. The complete line will run from Indios Verdes to Campo Marte (one station west of Auditorio), using a fleet of 90
Alexander Dennis Enviro500 The Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (previously known as the TransBus Enviro500) is a three-axle double-decker bus built by Alexander Dennis (formerly by TransBus International) in the United Kingdom. It was unveiled in 2002 and is one of the Envir ...
double-decker bus A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or decks. Double-deckers are used primarily for commuter transport, but open-top models are used as sightseeing buses for tourists, and there are coaches too for long-distance travel. They app ...
es with a capacity of 130 passengers each.


Hours

The MB operates from 04:30 to 24:00 (midnight) Monday through Friday, and from 05:00 to 24:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Hours for individual stations may vary in the mornings. A flash-based map of the system is available at the Metrobús website.


See also

*
Servicio de Transportes Eléctricos Servicio de Transportes Eléctricos de la Ciudad de México (STE) (Spanish for Electric Transport Service of Mexico City) is a public transport agency responsible for the operation of all trolleybus and light rail services in Mexico City. As it ...
*
Metrobus (Lahore) The Lahore Metrobus is a bus rapid transit service operating in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The service is integrated with Lahore Transport Company's local bus service to operate as one urban transport system, providing seamless transit service a ...
*
Metrobus (Istanbul) The Metrobus () is a bus rapid transit route in Istanbul, Turkey. The system has 44 stations that follow the city's ring road via Avcılar, Zincirlikuyu and the Bosphorus Bridge to Söğütlüçeşme using dedicated bus lanes for almost the ...


References


External links

* – In Spanish {{DEFAULTSORT:Mexico City Metrobus