Metro de Quito Hits 172,000 Daily Passengers as Private Car Use Drops 12%

The Metro de Quito -- Latin America's highest-altitude metro system at 2,850 metres above sea level -- has reached 172,000 daily passengers as of early February 2026, exceeding its initial projection of 141,000 by 22%.

The system began full commercial operations in November 2025 and runs 22 km from Quitumbe in the south to El Labrador in the north, with 15 stations.

The Numbers

| Metric | Value | |---|---| | Daily passengers | 172,000 | | Peak hour ridership | 28,400 (7-8 AM, southbound) | | Busiest station | El Recreo (18,200 daily boardings) | | Average trip length | 8.4 km (6 stations) | | On-time performance | 96.2% | | System capacity | 400,000/day (43% utilisation) |

The Traffic Impact

The most significant finding comes from traffic count data. Vehicle monitoring on corridors parallel to the Metro shows:

• Avenida 10 de Agosto: 12% reduction in peak-hour private vehicles
• Avenida Amazonas: 8% reduction in northbound evening traffic
• Avenida de los Shyris: 6% reduction in morning peak

That 12% reduction on 10 de Agosto translates to approximately 8,400 fewer car trips per day on that corridor alone.

Fare and Economics

The Metro charges $0.45 per trip (integrated with surface bus transfers at $0.10 additional). Daily fare revenue is approximately $77,400 -- covering about 65% of operational costs in year one.

The system cost approximately $2.1 billion over 12 years, funded by the World Bank, European Investment Bank, and CAF.

Remaining Challenges

• Last-mile connectivity: Several stations lack adequate bus integration or bicycle parking
• Northern extension: The planned 5 km extension to Carapungo remains unfunded
• Revenue gap: The 35% operational cost gap requires ongoing municipal subsidy

What Expats Should Know

If you live in or visit Quito regularly:

• The Metro works and works well. At $0.45 per trip, it's the cheapest and fastest way to move north-south through the city
• El Recreo station connects to the Trolebus system heading to the south
• For airport access: The Metro doesn't reach Tababela airport, but taking it to El Labrador and connecting by bus or taxi saves significant time vs. driving from central Quito
• Property values near Metro stations are already rising -- if you're considering buying in Quito, Metro proximity is worth paying attention to

Source: El Telegrafo