Lima Metro Expansion Plans Aim to Ease Congestion, Boost Tourism
Lima, Peru, consistently ranks among the world’s most congested cities, with residents losing an average of two hours daily to traffic and the country incurring losses exceeding 27 billion soles annually due to gridlock, according to the Peruvian Automotive Association. A comprehensive expansion of the Lima Metro system is now being planned to address these issues, with authorities proposing three new lines to serve the capital’s periphery.
Currently, only Line 1 of the Lima and Callao Metro, running from San Juan de Lurigancho to Villa El Salvador, is fully operational out of the six originally projected. The long-awaited Line 2, connecting Ate with Callao, has been delayed for over a decade. However, the Autoridad de Transporte Urbano (ATU) has outlined plans for Lines 7, 8, and 9 as part of the Plan de Movilidad Urbana para Lima y Callao 2025-2045, officially released on December 17th.
New Line 7: Callao-Ancón
One of the key proposals is Line 7, designed to link the northern area of Callao with Ancón, spanning 28 kilometers. The ATU intends to construct this line as an elevated railway to minimize costs and expedite construction, avoiding the need for extensive land expropriation and utility relocation. The route would begin at the 200 Millas Oval in Callao, bordering San Martín de Porres, and follow Gambetta Avenue and a portion of the Pan-American North Highway.
“Line 7 will be a social and light metro,” explains Gustavo Díaz, Subdirector of Planning at the ATU. “It will serve neighborhoods with expanding and consolidating populations, such as Oquendo, Márquez, Mi Perú, Pachacútec, Ventanilla, Santa Rosa, Puente Piedra, and Ancón. The project will benefit 900,000 people, over half of whom are economically vulnerable and currently spend four hours commuting each day, incurring significant transportation costs.”
Line 7 is projected to connect with the Line 4 branch, expected to be completed in 2028, as well as the Lima-Barranca Commuter Train and the Chancay megaport. The ATU anticipates that Line 7 will be operational by 2037, coinciding with projected urban growth driven by the Ancón Industrial Park and the Bicentennial City.
Samuel Daza, the mayor of Ancón, suggests that the Line 3, currently planned to run from San Juan de Miraflores to Comas, should also extend to Ancón, noting a lack of suitable space in Comas for a maintenance yard. “The MTC and the ATU must turn towards Ancón because there is no free space in Comas for the Line 3 maintenance yard. It is important for them to know that the destination of residents of Ancón, Santa Rosa and Puente Piedra who go out onto the Pan-American North is not only Callao but also the Lima city center. With lines 3 and 7 we would have mass transit options,” he stated.
New Lines 8 and 9
The ATU is also proposing Line 8, which would run from El Agustino to the Lima city center. The 11.5-kilometer route would originate at La Atarjea, serving as a maintenance yard, connecting with Line 6 (San Martín de Porres-El Agustino) and proceeding along Campoy, Zárate, and Caja de Agua, ultimately linking with Line 1 at Alcázar Avenue. It would then continue along Abancay Avenue to reach the Central Station of the Metropolitano and Lines 2 and 3.
This line is intended to connect densely populated areas of Santa Anita, San Juan de Lurigancho, and Rímac with the city center, and provide access to commercial areas like the Central Market and Mesa Redonda, as well as public services such as the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Judiciary. Line 8 is projected to benefit 307,000 residents and handle 672,000 daily trips by 2045.
Line 9, designed to connect San Miguel with Rímac, would span 20 kilometers, beginning at the intersection of La Marina and Faucett avenues in the Maranga and La Perla areas, connecting with Line 4. The route would follow Santa Rosa Avenue, cross near Jorge Chávez Airport, and continue along Tomás Valle Avenue, linking with Line 3 (via the Pan-American North) and Line 6 (via Universitaria Avenue), before joining Line 8 on Alcázar Avenue.
According to Gustavo Díaz, Line 9 would connect the Fuerte Hoyos military base, an area undergoing residential development, with the National University of Engineering (UNI), Plaza Norte, Jorge Chávez Airport, and the Plaza San Miguel shopping center. It is envisioned as a ring-shaped line, benefiting 740,000 residents of Callao, San Miguel, San Martín de Porres, Los Olivos, Independencia, and Rímac, and handling 788,000 daily trips by 2045.
Expert Perspectives
Aldo Facho Dede, co-founder of the Latin American Network of Urban Planners, emphasizes the importance of the ATU continually adjusting and updating the Basic Metro Network in response to the evolving needs of the metropolis. He suggests implementing dedicated bus lanes as an immediate step while the metro expansion progresses.
Bryan Castillo, co-director of Urbanistas del Callao Soñadores Urbanos, believes the new metro lines will not only connect the Callao province with Lima but also provide rapid and affordable access to the airport. Karla Gaviño, a public management specialist, stresses the need to learn from the challenges encountered during the construction of Line 2 to ensure the successful implementation of future lines, emphasizing the importance of avoiding prolonged street closures, resolving institutional conflicts over permits, and assembling experienced technical teams.
