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The Metro de Santiago is the metro system serving Santiago, the capital of the Republic of Chile.
History
Origin and First Project
Popular, modern, secure and efficient, it serves a city of six million inhabitants. After its opening in 1975, el Metro has changed the city; it is one of Chile's most important construction projects.
The rapid growth of the population in the city (in 1920, 507.296 habitants; in 1940, 1.073.699 habitants) was the principal factor in the birth of the idea. The first plan was in 1944, but only in 1968 the works began. The original idea was 5 lines:
- Line 1, between Las Rejas and Los Leones by the Alameda and Providencia Avenue.
- Line 2, between Conchalí and San Miguel by Vivaceta, Panamerican Highway and Gran Avenida.
- Line 3, between Mapocho and Ñuñoa, by Ahumada and the avenues Matta and Irarrázaval.
- Line 4, between Estacion Central (Alameda) and San Bernardo, by the Railway to the South
- Line 5, between Los Cerrillos and Ñuñoa, using the Circunvalation Railway.
Extension
In September, 15th 1975, the Metro de Santiago was opened between the stations San Pablo and La Moneda in the Line 1. The Line 2 was opened in 1978 between Los Héroes and Lo Ovalle and the Line 1 was extended to Escuela Militar in 1980. The Line 2 was extended to the north and was founded rests of the Cal y Canto Bridge (created in 1782 and destroyed in 1880). The extension between Los Heroes and Cal y Canto (former Mapocho Station) was inaugurated in 1987.
The city had changed from 1968 and the plan had to be changed too. La Florida became in the biggest zone of the city and the Metro must go there. The Line 5 was built from Baquedano to the south by Vicuña Mackenna Avenue and was opened in 1997. The Line 5 was extended in 2000 to the west and entered to the Historical Centre of the City (Plaza de Armas Station), and in 2004 the extensions of Line 2 to the north and south and Line 5 to the west was opened.
In 2002 began the build of the Line 4 and Line 4A to connect Puente Alto and the southeast of the City to the Red de Metro.
In this moment, the metro consists of 3 lines which sum up to 44.2 kilometres and a total of 52 stations and 3 stations of combination: Los Héroes, Baquedano and Santa Ana and shortly there will be a new lines and a total of 31 new stations.
The table shows the evolution of the Metro de Santiago:
| Line
| Length
| Stations
| Date
| Kind
|
| 1
| San Pablo - La Moneda
| 8.2 km
| 12
| Sep 1975
| Underground
|
| 1
| La Moneda - Salvador
| 3.2 km
| 5
| Mar 1977
| Underground
|
| 2
| Los Héroes - Franklin
| 4.9 km
| 4
| Mar 1978
| Ground Level
|
| 2
| Franklin - Lo Ovalle
| 4.8 km
| 6
| Dec 1978
| Underground
|
| 1
| Salvador - Escuela Militar
| 4.5 km
| 6
| Aug 1980
| Underground
|
| 2
| Los Héroes - Puente Cal y Canto
| 1.7 km
| 2
| Sep 1987
| Ground Level
|
| 5
| Baquedano - Bellavista de La Florida
| 10.3 km
| 11
| Apr 1997
| Elevated
|
| 5
| Baquedano - Santa Ana
| 2.8 km
| 2
| Mar 2000
| Underground
|
| 5
| Santa Ana - Quinta Normal
| 2 km
| 2
| Mar 2004
| Underground
|
| 2
| Puente Cal y Canto - Cerro Blanco
| 1.6 km
| 2
| Sep 2004
| Underground
|
| 2
| Lo Ovalle - La Cisterna
| 2.1 km
| 2
| Dec 2004
| Underground
|
| 5
| Bellavista de La Florida - Vicente Valdés
| 1.6 km
| 1
| Dec 2005
| Underground
|
| 4
| Tobalaba - Grecia
| 7.7 km
| 7
| Dec 2005
| Underground
|
| 4
| Grecia - Vicuña Mackenna
| 6.1 km
| 5
| Dec 2005
| Ground Level
|
| 4
| Vicuña Mackenna - Plaza de Puente Alto
| 10.9 km
| 7
| Dec 2005
| Elevated
|
| 4A
| Vicuña Mackenna - La Cisterna
| 7.7 km
| 4
| Dec 2005
| Ground Level
|
| 2
| Cerro Blanco - Américo Vespucio
| 4.3 km
| 5
| Mar 2006
| Underground
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Art in the Metro
The Metro hasn't only a function as a transport system. It has a cultural, artistic and social function.
The art is an important element in the stations. The station Universidad de Chile has a giant mural created by Mario Toral and represents the history of the country. Other pieces of art are in stations Baquedano, Bellas Artes, Santa Lucía (Brazilian azulejos), República, etc.
Other Data
The Metro de Santiago functions from 6:00 to 22:30 all the week. The fare depends on the time of the use of the Metro. The cost of a ticket in hora alta (Rush Hour) is $400 (US$ 0.6) and in "hora baja" (Rest of Day and Sat-Sun) is $310 (US $0.45)
External links
See also
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