Commuters in Santo Domingo can expect some relief from crowded metro trains this summer. At present, people queue for hours to get a ride on the fast-transit train. The Office for the Reorganization of Transportation (OPRET) announced today that more six-car trains will begin operating on both Line 1 and Line 2 in July 2025, as reported in Diario Libre.
The new configurations, capable of carrying over 1,000 passengers per train, aim to significantly reduce congestion during peak travel times.
“This move will not only increase transport capacity but also ensure a more comfortable journey for our riders,” said Santos Pérez. He added that the addition of six-car trains would boost the metro’s overall capacity by 5% to 6%.
The German company Siemens is currently upgrading software and signaling systems to accommodate the longer trains. OPRET explained that the train cars are arriving one per month, for a gradual rollout of the expanded train sets.
Beyond the train expansions, OPRET plans to open a new interconnection corridor between Lines 1 and 2, further improving accessibility and efficiency. The project aligns with the broader vision to optimize Santo Domingo’s public transportation network.
The Santo Domingo Metro, which currently serves 350,000 to 400,000 passengers daily, expects the six-car trains to ease congestion positively impacting commuters boarding and unboarding at the Mamá Tingó, Concepción Bona, and Juan Pablo Duarte transfer stations.
Looking ahead, the opening of Line 2-C in the final quarter of the year is projected to further increase capacity by 15%, continuing the metro’s evolution as a vital lifeline for the city. The civil works phase of Line 2-C is set for completion in April, followed by electrical work finishing in August, with full operation anticipated by the end of 2025.
In March 2021, the Opret had announced it began tests for the operation of the six car trains, as reported then in Diario Libre.
In July 2023, the Presidency announced the arrival of the first six an order of 72 cars to increase the capacity of the Santo Domingo Metro.
The Santo Domingo Metro construction began in 2005 during the Leonel Fernandez administration and the first train went into service in 2012 with a first year of 30.8 million passengers. The number of travelers promptly doubled to 61 million by 2014. In 2023, ridership was upwards of 100 million.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
Hoy
Presidency
Presidency
Diario Libre
24 February 2025