Mexico City
metro, light rail
Metro
The subway system in this ancient city of the Aztecs
is one of the world's largest. Construction began in 1967, with engineers
fighting
history and geology to carve it out. They faced the challenge of having to
design a system that would hold up in the soft subsoil, which was once the bed of a vast
lake. They also had to protect the system against frequent earthquakes and draw
a map that took into account the subterranean architecture of the city's many
ruins. Finally, in 1969, the first line opened for business.
There are currently 11 lines with
201 km and 175 stations. All lines are rubber tired except for Line A.
Mexico City's metro is also known to be the
cheapest subway ride
in the world, though some still respect it in the morning.
Known for it's high crime, Mexico City subway officials have begun
distributing
free books on the subway so as to keep the more intellectual criminals at
bay. While the number of pocket pickers may not
decrease, it is hoped that the existing ones will become more educated, better,
and smarter thieves.
Men and women are required to ride
in separate during rush hour to prevent sexual harassment, so please
remember to practice your
frottage
skills elsewhere.
Finally, this little bit of maize for your subterranean burrito:
A plan for a 31 km, 18 station
Sky Train,
or ECOTREN, was
cancelled by the Fox administration in order to build
more roads and purchase new metro rolling stock. The line would have included
two underground stations, including one at Line 8's terminus in Garibaldi,
and was to utilize rolling stock like that of Vancouver's Sky Train. Despite
outcries by wealthy homeowners in neighborhoods it would have traversed, what
would have been "Line 11", once due to open in 1996, is still part of the city's
master metro plan.
Rush
Hour
Photos from Robert
Schwandl
Servicios Publicos
Mexico City Subway system
The Metro and Tren Ligero in Mexico City
Marco Monroy's
Mexico Metro
Site
Mexico City subway car
cutout
Brief guide to the metro
Light Rail
Transportes Eléctricos
del Distrito Federal, a separate agency, also runs an 18 station, 26 km
light rail line, or tren ligero. This line is all that is left of a once massive
tramway network. You can catch the tren ligero at the end of subway Line 2 at
Tasqueña. Be sure to check out the
floating gardens in
Xochimilco
at the other terminus. It has food, flowers, music and
112 miles of
canals.
El
Tren Ligero - Light rail in Mexico City
History of
tramways and light rail in Mexico City
Mexico City Electric Transport official
home page
