[as of 2015 ]

City

Founded: 18.01.1535
Population: 8 852 000 (2007)
Location: Lima

Lima is the capital and the largest city in Peru. Together with the seaport of Callao it forms a metropolis of almost 10 million people, and a home to 1/3 of Peru’s population. Founded in 1535, the city is notable for its historic legacy. Following uncontrolled urbanization, nowadays the city is surrounded by favelas. Crime expectancy is somewhat high, even though often overstated. Most commercial and cultural activity moved out from the historic Lima city center to safer suburbs of Miraflores and Barranco.

Lima has a rich transit history. However, noawadays aside from a chaotic bus system, the city offers a single metro line, and a single Bus Rapid Transit line.

Metro

Operator: Ferrovías (Grupo Emepa)

Metro opened: 11.07.2011
Track length: 34,6 km. (two-way)
Track gauge: 1 435 mm.
Number of routes: 1
Number of stations: 26
Number of trains: 26

Passengers carried: 124 100 000 annually (2015)

Network map: 2015
Timetable: 2015

The construction of the Metro Line 1 started 18.10.1986. The line was designed entirely on the surface, mostly on elevated structures. It was officially declared “completed” 28.04.1990, even though only the 9,2 km.-long fragment of the line was built, while the vital segments remained unfinished. Some spotty service commenced, but it was uneconomical due to low ridership, since the metro did not reach niether Central Lima, nor areas of adequate population density. Following the initial “opening”, the new line and the construction site of the unfinished segments were effectively mothballed for many years due to Peru’s economic problems. The 7 Italian-built train sets were placed in storoage.

The construction was restarted on 02.03.2010. The second phase of the line between Miguel Grau – Villa El Salvadro (which includes the first phase) with 16 stations and totaling 22,2 km. in length was officially inaugurated 11.07.2011. Some limited service commenced 03.01.2012, while the line became fully operational 09.01.2012. The ride was free at first. Commercial operation started on 04.04.2012. The 12,4 km.-long extension to Bayóvar with 10 additional stations opened on 25.07.2014. The construction of the Metro Line 2 was started in 2012. The new 27 km.-long line will be built underground. The project also includes the 8 km.-long Line 4, which will act as a feeder to the Line 2. According to various sources, the construction is expected to be completed anywhere between 2016 and 2019.

The Metro Line 1 operates under conditions of perpetual passenger overload. Trains are crush-loaded starting from outer terminal stations, including weekends. Unscheduled extra trains are dispatched on weekends to alleviate passenger overloads, however, this is done with no regard to evenness of service. The timetable is officially published, but not followed.

Curiously Lima’s first metro line skirts the downtown area, but doesn’t directly serve it. The line traverses predominantly poor neighborhoods, including ghettos surrounding the central Lima, as well as endless shanty towns on the city’s outskirts. The metro system itself is safe, blanketed with many security guards and security cameras. However, wondering outside the metro property is not advisable at stations south of the San Juan Station, and north of the Los Jardines Station. The Gamarra and Nicolás Arriola Stations in the La Victoria neighborhood are located in particularly dangerous. The safest stations to get into the system are between the La Cultura and Los Cabitos Stations. There is no clear applied policy on photography on the system. While in most cases photographers proceed unimpeded, some security guards might choose to abstract photography.

Rolling Stock

[ 2015 / total ]

AnsaldoBreda MB100 : 7 / 7 trains (1990)
Alstom Metropolis S9000 : 19 / 19 trains (2013)

The 7 Italian-built AnsladoBreda MB100 train sets purchased in 1990 were initially used for some spotty operation, but were then placed into prolonged storage. The trains were rehabbed for the re-opening of the system in 2011. The AnsladoBreda trains are operated on weekdays only.

Bus Rapit Transit

Lima’s most viable north – south transit corridor between Independencia – Central Lima – Miraflores – Barranco – Chrorrillos by the Bus Rapid Transit line, called El Metropolitano. The 33 km.-long line was opened in 10.2010. The system is critically crushloaded and overworked at all times, as the BRT technology simply cannot cope with current passenger demands. In order to alleviate extreme loads 3 service variants are operated along the same corridor, each with different stopping patterns.

Photos