TheRio de Janeiro Metro(Portuguese:MetrôRio,Portuguese pronunciation:[meˌtɾoˈʁi.u]), commonly referred to as just theMetrô(Portuguese pronunciation:[meˈtɾo]) is arapid transitnetwork that serves the city ofRio de Janeiro,Brazil. The Metrô was inaugurated on 5 March 1979, and consisted of five stations operating on a single line.[5]The system currently covers a total of 58 kilometres (36 mi),[3]serving 41 stations,[1][3]divided into three lines: Line 1 (16 kilometres (9.9 mi));[2]Line 2 (30.2 kilometres (18.8 mi)),[2]which together travel over a shared stretch of line that covers 10 stations[6]of an approximate distance of 5 kilometres (3.1 mi); and Line 4 (16 kilometres (9.9 mi)).[3]Metrô Rio has the second highest passenger volume of the metro systems in Brazil, after theSão Paulo Metro.

Rio de Janeiro Metro
General Osório Station
Overview
Native nameMetrôRio
OwnerRio Trilhos (State of Rio de Janeiro)
LocaleRio de Janeiro,RJ,Brazil
Transit typeRapid transit
Number of lines3[1][2][3]
Number of stations41[1][3]
Daily ridership625 205(2014)[4]
Annual ridership228.2 million(2014)[4]
Websitemetrorio.br
Operation
Began operation5 March 1979[5]
Operator(s)Concessão Metroviária do Rio de Janeiro S.A. (Mubadala Investment Company)
Technical
System length58 km (36 mi)[1][3]
Track gauge1,600 mm(5 ft 3 in)
System map

Line 1(orange line) servesdowntown Rio,tourist areas in theSouth Zone,and several neighbourhoods in theNorth Zone.It is a semicircular line, and is fully underground. It runs fromUruguai StationtoIpanema/General Osório Station.Line 2(green line) serves working-class residential neighborhoods extending toward the north. It is a northwest-to-southeast line, and almost completely above-ground (mostly at grade and partly elevated). This line started as alight rail,but due to increasing numbers of commuters, it gradually changed torapid transitor metro. Because of its origin as light rail, it is at grade except forEstácio Station(the former connection station between lines 1 and 2), which is underground andCidade Nova Station,which is elevated, andLine 4(yellow line), connectingBarra da Tijuca/Jardim Oceânico Stationin theWest ZonetoIpanema/General Osório StationonLine 1.

The Government of theState of Rio de Janeiroremains responsible for the expansion of the metro network through Rio Trilhos. In late December 2007, the lease was renewed until 2038[7]and Metrô Rio assumed responsibility for the construction ofCidade Nova Station,which serves as a link between Line 2 and Line 1 ending the need to transfer stations, with the purchase of 114 cars, and construction ofUruguai Station,extending Line 1 further north.

The extension works of Line 2, called Line 1A, which ended the need for a transfer at Estácio Station and allowed the direct connection fromPavuna StationtoBotafogowere started by Metrô Rio on 13 November 2008, and the tracks were completed in December 2009. With the extension, the 250 thousand passengers that circulate daily on Line 2 do not need to change trains any more in order to get to the South Zone. The interconnection of the two metro lines will reduce, by up to 13 minutes, the journey time from Pavuna station to the city's downtown, the destination of 83% of Line 2's passengers.[8]

History

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Cardeal Arcoverde Station(nicknamed "Batcave") inCopacabana.

Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city in Brazil and the most popular tourist attraction in the country. After 1950, the number of motor vehicles on the roads increased dramatically. Rio de Janeiro lies in a hilly region, between the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. The landscape of the city is extremely uneven, making travelling by car or bus a very time-consuming task through the narrow streets. These conditions are ideal fortramsbut not for the increasing traffic of motor vehicles. By the early 1960s, traffic jams, pollution, and smog had become a serious problem in the city. To overcome these problems, local transport authorities decided to reduce the tram network and switch over to a metro network.

On 14 December 1968, the Companhia do Metropolitano do Rio de Janeiro (Metro Company of Rio de Janeiro in English) was created through State Law number 1736.[9]In March 1975, with Law–Decree number 25, the company effectively came into existence. On 23 June 1970, construction work started in Jardim da Glória. From 1971 to 1974, owing to a lack of resources, construction work stopped and was only resumed a year later. The Rio de Janeiro Metro began operating in March 1979, during the administration of governor Chagas Freitas. In the beginning, there were only five stations:Praça Onze,Central,Presidente Vargas,Cinelândia Station,andGlória Station,operating from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

In its initial 10 days, the system transported more than half a million people, averaging sixty thousand passengers per day. At that time, the subway worked with only four trains of four cars each, with an average interval of eight minutes. In December of the same year, the operating schedule was extended until 11:00 PM, including Saturdays. In 1980, themetro systembegan to be expanded with the opening ofUruguaiana Stationand Estácio stations. The two new stations caused larger passenger demand, compelling an increase in the number of trains from four to six.

The Carioca station inDowntown Rio de Janeiro,the busiest station with more than eighty thousand passengers a day, was finished in January 1981. By the end of the same year, the stationsCatete Station,Morro Azul (now calledFlamengo Station), andBotafogo Stationwere completed. In November 1981, Line 2 (or Linha 2 in Portuguese) started operating with only two stations:São CristóvãoandMaracanã Station(which serves theMaracanã football stadium). In December, completing the southern section of the first Line 1,Largo do Machado Stationbegan service. In 1982, the complementary inaugurations of the northern section of Line 1 started, with the beginning of operations of theAfonso Pena,São Francisco XavierandSaens Peñastations.

Ipanema/General Osório Station.The bus is part of the Metrô na Superfície (Metro in Surface), the metro extension bus service.

To allow the completion of the second line toIrajá,in 1983, the trains on this line began operating from 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM. After a month, this schedule was extended until 8 PM, and a free bus service was established, integrating the Estácio, São Cristóvão, and Maracanã stations. After the conclusion of the works, the Pre-Metro andMaria da Graça,Del Castilho,Inhaúma StationandIrajá Stationstations were opened. In 1984 the commercial operation of the second line began with five trains on workdays with a five-and-a-half-minute interval during the week.

Following the expansion, theTriagem stationwas inaugurated in July 1988, the year of the creation of the subway/train integration ticket. In 1991, theEngenho da Rainha stationwas inaugurated. From 1991 to 1996, two stations were opened,Thomaz CoelhoandVicente de Carvalho.In this period, the time interval of the nine stations of the second line was reduced to six minutes. In July 1998,Cardeal Arcoverde Station,in the traditional neighbourhood ofCopacabana,was inaugurated. Five more stations became operational in the following two months:Irajá Station,Colégio Station,Coelho Neto,Engenheiro Rubens Paiva,Acari/Fazenda BotafogoandPavuna Station.

In 1997, the Carnival Operation (Operação de Carnaval inPortuguese) began with continuous service during theRio Carnivalfestivity days. In December of that year the system wasprivatisedand the management and operation of the company passed into the hands of the Consortium Opportrans with a concession of 20 years, leaving the responsibility for expansion of the network in the hands of the state government of Rio de Janeiro through the company Rio Trilhos. The Rio Reveillón (New Year's Evecelebrations) is highlighted by the performance of Opportrans that since 1999 has conducted a Special Operation to ensure a party for all. Tickets illustrated scheduled appointments to avoid overcrowding and provide the best service.

Bicyclesin a metro station in Rio.

In 2003Siqueira Campos Stationin Copacabana was inaugurated.Cantagalo Stationbeyond Siqueira Campos was due to be completed in March 2006 but owing to financial problems the opening date was postponed to 15 December.[10]This was again postponed and the final opening took place in February 2007. At the same time construction began on the subway extension to General Osório station in Ipanema. This was opened in December 2009.

In late December 2007, Metro Rio renewed the concession, then defined as for another 20 years, to 2038.

Line 1A from Pavuna to Botafogo opened in December 2009 with a connection between São Cristóvão and Central. Passenger traffic at Estácio is reduced and the elimination of the need to transfer between Lines 1 and 2 saves up to 13 minutes of journey time. A new station on the new section, Cidade Nova, was opened in November 2010;[11]the station is on Avenida Presidente Vargas and serves the City Hall.

In June 2010, the construction of Line 4 began, linking Ipanema toBarra da Tijuca,where most events of the2016 Olympic Gamesoccurred.

Since tracking began in 1998, there has been a steady increase in passenger traffic in the metro.[12]There is a drastic dip in early 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.

System

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MetrôRio
Pavuna
Engenheiro Rubens Paiva
Acari/Fazenda Botafogo
Coelho Neto
Colégio
Irajá
Vicente de Carvalho
Thomaz Coelho
Engenho da Rainha
Inhaúma
Uruguai
Nova América/Del Castilho
Saens Peña
Maria da Graça
São Francisco Xavier
Triagem
Afonso Pena
Maracanã
Estácio[a]
São Cristóvão
Praça Onze
Cidade Nova[b]
Central
Presidente Vargas
Uruguaiana
Carioca
Cinelândia
Glória
Catete
Largo do Machado
Flamengo
Botafogo
Cardeal Arcoverde
Siqueira Campos
Cantagalo
General Osório
Nossa Senhora da Paz
Jardim de Alah
Antero de Quental
Gávea
São Conrado
Jardim Oceânico

Line 1 • Line 2 • Line 4

  1. ^Estácio station interchange to Line 2 only on weekends and holidays.
  2. ^Cidade Nova station closed on weekends and holidays.


Rolling stock

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The cars are of monoblock construction in stainless steel. Passenger train composition normally use six cars (four on rare occasions), but Line 2 was planned to use eight cars. Older stock driving cars can accommodate a maximum of 351 passengers (40 seated), while non-driving cars accommodate a maximum of 378 passengers (48 seated). Thus, in six-car configurations the maximum number of passengers that can be transported is 2,214.

Line 1 is served by exclusively old types of rolling stock, which are full metro. Since Line 2 was formerly alight railline, there are some old types of stock that have been converted from light rail to metro stock. New B type stock is full metro stock. This line was initially served by old A type stock, built byLa Brugeoise et NivellesandCobrasma.

Inside each coach, seat arrangement is both parallel and perpendicular to the windows. When the left side has parallel seats, the right side has perpendicular seats, and vice versa. Each vertical seat has a handle for easier standing. There are vertical stanchions from ceiling to floor for standing passengers, one set in front of the horizontal seats, another set at the middle of the coach. Both A and B type trains areair-conditioned.

Lines 1, 2 and 4 share EMUs built byCRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co. Ltd.The 6-car trains were designed in 18 months and all 19 sets are currently operating in passenger service. The trains entered revenue service 23 months after contract award.

Lines

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All stations are underground. Cinelândia and Central stations have island platforms. Carioca, Saens Peña, Botafogo and General Osório stations have both side and island platforms, although Saens Peña consists of two island platforms and three tracks. The northernmost of the three tracks appears to be disused and planned for use after the Line 1 extension. Saens Peña is a very busy station, with train turnarounds made very quickly. All other stations have side platforms, up and down tracks are divided by a low wall at stations with side platforms. Siqueira Campos, Carioca, Central, Uruguaiana are Cardeal Arcoverde have a large mezzanine floor between surface and underground tracks.

Central, which is a major interchange point between the Metro, local and longer-distance bus lines, and theSuperViatrain network, is the busiest station on the network. The Cardeal Arcoverde station was dynamited out of the base of São João Mountain and retains a cavelike structure. General Osório has some painting in the hallways to remember prehistoric attempts at communication.

Uruguai Station opened in March 2014, becoming the new terminal station of Line 1 in the North Side of Rio de Janeiro.[13]

Line 1A is actually an extension of Line 2 to Botafogo station. Line 2 is elevated from Irajá to Colégio. Many of the stations have island platforms, although Pavuna has both side and island platforms. Underground from Central to Botafogo.

Owing to its origin as light rail, it is fully above-ground (except Estácio station, which is underground). Most stations like Irajá and others, have an island platform, whereas some stations like Triagem have side platforms. Maracanã station is directly linked by anoverbridgeto theMaracanã Stadiumacross the street.

Connections

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  • Line 1is fully underground with Cardeal Arcoverde being the deepest station. This station is under São João mountain. Non-free interchange with theSanta Teresa Tramis possible at Carioca and with theSuperViatrains at Central. Interchange to Line 2 is possible at all stations between Botafogo and Central on weekdays.[6]There is interchange with Line 2 at Estácio on weekends and holidays. Interchange tobusis possible at Cardeal Arcoverde, Botafogo, Largo do Machado, Estácio, São Francisco Xavier and Sáenz Peña.
  • Line 2is fully above-ground, except stations on Line 1A. It is elevated from Irajá to Colégio and the rest is at grade, except Cidade Nova and Triagem, which are elevated. Interchange with the train is possible at Triagem, Pavuna, São Cristóvão and Central. Interchange to line 1 is possible at Line 1A stations on weekdays, and at Estácio on weekends and holidays. Bus interchange is possible at Nova América/Del Castilho, Coelho Neto and Pavuna.

Fare structure

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Jardim Oceânico Metro Station.
  • Single Journey (Unitárioin Portuguese): This is the most popular option. When a commuter buys a ticket from the counter, they then can travel by metro from any station to any station of any line. Once the commuter leaves the station, they need another ticket for another trip. There is a flat single fare (Unitário)R$4.60 as of March 2020[14]regardless of distance.
  • Single Journey with bus extension (Metrô na Superfíciein Portuguese): Metro Rio operates a bus service from some of its stations, which acts as an extension of the metro service. No additional fee is charged for this service; however, when buying the ticket the traveller must ask for aMetrô na Superfíciecard. Cards can be bought directly on theMetrô na Superfíciebus.
  • Single Journey with express bus service: not to be confused with the bus extension, this fare allows a passenger to travel on the subway and on select bus services (Cosme Velho and Urca are served by express buses), also run by the metro company. The fare costs R$4.35 as of April 2014, and the ticket can be purchased on the subway or when boarding select buses.
  • Prepaid Card (Cartão Pré-pago): a prepaid card, valid on the metro and on the buses run by the metro company (not valid on regular city buses) can be bought at any metro station. The card is free of charge, however a minimum prepayment of R$10 is required. Tickets (a disposable contactless card) are purchased from a cashier in a booth. Prepaid tickets can be topped up at the vending booths, or at automated ticket recharging machines at select stations. Cards cannot be bought at the machines, and no change is given. Cash is the only accepted means of payment on any of the sales channels.

The Barra Expresso included a single ticket pass and the fare for a bus trip to Barra da Tijuca, a neighborhood located in the West Side of Rio. This integration ended when Line 4 was opened to the public.

Modernization

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Cantagalo Metro Station.

The investment of R$1.15 billion included also the purchase of 19 additional compositions; 114 new cars[15]with a technology that allows the passengers to circulate inside the train. The first of the new compositions was scheduled to arrive in December 2010 and the others to start operating gradually before December 2011. These cars were intended for use on Line 2 and have a dimensionedair conditioningsystem to bear the sun and heat's direct incidence, as most part of the line is in the surface. With the increase of 63% of the fleet, theconcessionairealso planned to standardize the compositions of Lines 1 and 2: all 49 trains will have six cars.

The control, signalization,ventilationand energy systems will be also expanded and modernized. The energy supply for the metro's operation will be reinforced with two new proper sub-stations, at Uruguaiana and Largo do Machado Stations, and with the remodeling of São Cristóvão and Central sub-stations. On the other hand, the signalization will be automated in the two lines. Metrô Rio will enhance the ventilation at the stations and will modernize all equipment of the Control and Operations Center, from where the complete daily operation is monitored. These actions, combined with the extension of Line 2, will allow Metrô Rio to transport more than 1.1 million passengers/day.

Expansion

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Uruguai Station

Line 4(yellow line) was completed on 30 July 2016, connectingBarra da Tijucaneighbourhood in theWest Zone,passing underSão ConradoandRocinha,toIpanema/General Osório Station.All stations are underground, but when arriving in Barra da Tijuca, trains exit a tunnel, pass briefly by an elevated bridge and go underground again.[3][16][15][13]

Line 3is proposed to run from Carioca toVisconde de Itaboraívia a 4 km (2.5 mi) tunnel underneath theGuanabara Bay,and via Araribóia, Antonina, Guaxindiba and Itambi stations.[17]

Line 5 will run from Carioca, which interchanges with Lines 1, 2 and 3, to Gaveá interchanging for Line 4.

Network map

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In literature

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  • The collection of narratives Entre Linhas: Histórias do Metrô e Trem do Rio de Janeiro (2023), by Sofia Neves, delves into the stories of anonymous passengers on the Rio de Janeiro subway.[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^abcd"METRÔ RIO - Concessão Metroviára Do Rio De Janeiro S/A"[METRÔ RIO - Concession Metroviára Of Rio De Janeiro S/A](PDF)(in Portuguese). MetrôRio. 31 December 2013.Archived(PDF)from the original on 3 January 2016.Retrieved14 June2014.
  2. ^abc"EXTENSÕES DAS LINHAS EM KILÔMETROS"[LENGTH OF THE LINES IN KILOMETERS] (in Portuguese). MetrôRio. Archived fromthe originalon 16 October 2013.Retrieved18 September2013.
  3. ^abcdefg"Temer participa de inauguração da Linha 4 do Metrô no Rio"[President Temer takes part in inauguration of Rio's metro's line four] (in Portuguese). G1 Portal. 30 July 2016. Archived fromthe original(url)on 9 July 2019.Retrieved30 July2016.
  4. ^ab"Relatório da Administração"(PDF)(in Brazilian Portuguese). 2014.Archived(PDF)from the original on 29 March 2017.Retrieved19 February2024.
  5. ^ab"History - How it all began".MetrôRio.Archivedfrom the original on 27 October 2016.Retrieved14 June2014.
  6. ^ab"Maps".MetrôRio.Archivedfrom the original on 23 April 2021.Retrieved14 June2014.
  7. ^"MetrôRio".Invepar.Archivedfrom the original on 16 December 2014.Retrieved28 August2014.
  8. ^"Linha 2"(blog) (in Portuguese). Metrô do Rio (não oficial).Archivedfrom the original on 17 May 2014.Retrieved8 June2014.[full citation needed]
  9. ^"Decreto-lei 35/75 | Decreto-lei nº 35, de 15 de Março de 1975"[Decree-Law 35/75 | Legislative Decree No. 35 of March 15, 1975] (in Portuguese). JusBrasil.Archivedfrom the original on 18 July 2021.Retrieved29 August2014.
  10. ^Thomé, Juliet (6 August 2006)."Estação Cantagalo do metrô será inaugurada em dezembro"[Cantagalo metro station will be opened in December].SRZD(in Portuguese). Archived fromthe originalon 3 September 2014.Retrieved29 August2014.
  11. ^"Metrô Rio inaugura a estação Cidade Nova"[Metro Rio inaugurates Cidade Nova station].R7(in Portuguese). 1 November 2010.Archivedfrom the original on 20 September 2016.Retrieved29 August2014.
  12. ^"Total mensal de passageiros transportados no Metrô, segundo as estações e linhas, no Município do Rio de Janeiro entre 1998 e 2021"[Monthly total of passengers transported by the Metro, according to stations and lines, in the Rio de Janeiro city between 1998 and 2021].Data.rio(in Brazilian Portuguese). 19 March 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 16 April 2023.Retrieved16 April2023.
  13. ^abHearst, Chesney (17 March 2014)."New Tijuca Metro Station Opened in Rio: Daily - Rio de Janeiro's Zona Norte neighborhood of Tijuca has a new subway (metro) station; the Estação Uruguai".The Rio Times.Archivedfrom the original on 3 September 2014.Retrieved27 August2014.
  14. ^"Meios e Tarifas"[Fares and Payments] (in Brazilian Portuguese). MetrôRio.Archivedfrom the original on 8 April 2020.Retrieved13 March2020.
  15. ^ab"History - A new time has come".MetrôRio.Archivedfrom the original on 16 December 2014.Retrieved28 August2014.
  16. ^"O que é o projeto"[What is the project] (in Portuguese). Metrô Linha 4. Archived fromthe originalon 26 March 2015.Retrieved24 August2014.
  17. ^"Work set to begin on Rio de Janeiro Line 3".Metro Report.2 November 2011.Archivedfrom the original on 6 August 2019.Retrieved6 August2019.
  18. ^https:// amazon.br/Entre-Linhas-Hist%C3%B3rias-Metr%C3%B4-Janeiro-ebook/dp/B0C9DZWXJ5
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