Quito Metro Wait Times Have Doubled in April — Wheel Maintenance Cut Peak-Hour Trains

What's Happening

Metro de Quito users report wait times "duplicated since early April 2026," with some waits stretching to 20 minutes. Metro management claims a more modest 20% increase, with normal waits of 5-6 minutes extending to approximately 10 minutes during the affected period.

The system is supposed to operate with at least 15 trains during peak hours but is currently running with "13 or 15." Off-peak service, which normally uses 10 trains, is running with "8 or 10."

Why

The short version: wheel wear. Metro de Quito is resurfacing (reperfilado) its trains' wheels — a process that temporarily pulls units out of rotation.

A December 2025 track survey identified a one-millimeter height difference across 400 meters of track in the Talleres y Cocheras sector. Speeds in that zone were reduced to 20 km/h to prevent additional wear while the fix is prepared.

Metro Quito General Manager Juan Carlos Parra told media: "We're missing five units, but by weekend the service will normalize."

The longer fix: wheel replacement procurement won't even begin until mid-2026, and new wheels are expected to arrive in 2028. So the system is buying time with resurfacing while waiting on a structural fix that's a year-plus out.

Mayor Pabel Muñoz has been briefed.

What This Means for Expats

• Plan extra Metro time this month. If you live in Quito or commute from Tumbaco/Cumbayá and use the Metro to reach central Quito, add 10-15 minutes to your peak-hour estimates.
• Parra says the weekend brings relief, but treat that as "likely partial" — a program that runs to 2028 for full wheel replacement isn't a problem that fully evaporates.
• Rush-hour alternatives matter again. Trolebús, ecoVía, and BRT corridors are back in the practical mix on peak days.
• If you're ride-hailing to or from Metro stations, build in the extra minutes and potentially skip the Metro leg entirely on the worst days.

This is the Metro's first major operational hiccup since launch — and a reminder that large transit projects in Ecuador are still in a running-in phase.

Source: Primicias