President Luis Abinader announced on Thursday, 28 August 2025, his administration has decided on the construction of the Santo Domingo Monorail. The mass transit system is part of a major infrastructure project designed to strengthen Greater Santo Domingo’s Integrated Transportation System (SIT-SD) and significantly improve urban mobility in the metropolitan area.
The project is still awaiting bidding and financing approval. The long-term plan includes a second phase of the monorail, a tram line, and new transfer hubs designed to improve connectivity between various modes of mass transit.
The monorail option was selected for its cost efficiency. The elevated design is projected to save approximately 35% in construction costs compared to traditional underground rail systems as the need for complex tunneling is eliminated.
The first phase of the monorail will span 10.5 kilometers and include 12 stations, running from Avenida Charles de Gaulle in Santo Domingo East to the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center at Av. 27 de Febrero in the National District. The route will serve a population of over one million residents and is expected to carry up to 306,000 passengers per day.
The elevated transit system is planned to run along Las Américas Highway and 27 de Febrero Avenue, offering a high-capacity, high-frequency service. It will directly connect Santo Domingo Este with the Distrito Nacional and integrate with Metro Lines 1 and 2, enhancing intermodality across the capital.
The project will be led by the Fideicomiso para el Desarrollo del Sistema de Transporte Masivo de la República Dominicana (FITRAM).
Efficient and scalable public transit
As planned, initial operations will feature four-car trains, each with a capacity of 562 passengers, running at intervals as short as 90 seconds. This configuration will allow for a service capacity of up to 22,480 passengers per hour per direction, with provisions for future upgrades to six-car trains, potentially increasing capacity to 34,160 passengers per hour per direction.
The Santo Domingo Monorail is designed to improve access to key neighborhoods and urban centers, including:
• Los Frailes, Ensanche Isabelita, Los Mameyes, Los Tres Ojos, Ensanche Ozama, Alma Rosa, Maquiteria, Villa Duarte, Villa Francisca, San Lázaro, San Carlos, Ciudad Colonial, Villa Consuelo, Don Bosco, Miraflores, Villa Juana.
• The metropolitan core: Naco, La Esperilla, El Vergel, and Evaristo Morales.
The project will be developed in three phases:
• Phase 1 (Priority Section): From the Centro Olímpico to the Puente Rey Juan Carlos along Ave. Las Américas in Santo Domingo Este.
• Phase 2: Extension from Centro Olímpico to Pintura via Av. 27 de Febrero, connecting with the future tram line and Cable Car Line 3 in Santo Domingo West.
• Phase 3: From Pintura to the Prolongación of Av. 27 de Febrero, connecting to Metro Line 2C in Los Alcarrizos.
Another major component of the SIT-SD expansion is the proposed Tram Line 1. This tram is planned for construction beginning at Km 12 of the Sánchez Highway in Haina, travel along Independencia Avenue, and continuing north along Winston Churchill Avenue. The route will feature an interchange with Metro Line 2, enabling smoother transitions for commuters between systems.
Read more in Spanish:
Santo Domingo Transit
Listin Diario
Noticias SIN
Diario Libre
1 September 2025