The São Paulo metro was inaugurated in 1974 and was a pioneer in the whole country. At the time, it consisted of just one line, the so-called North-South, which today has become Line 1-Blue. In its fifty-year history, it has expanded to six lines and more than 100 kilometers in length, serving thousands of São Paulo residents in just one day. Find out more about the evolution of the SP metro!
Learn about the evolution of the SP metro
1974: Inauguration of the North-South Line (now 1-Blue)
The idea of building a subway in São Paulo dates back to the 1920s. However, periods of financial crisis in Brazil and around the world delayed the emergence of transportation.
After decades of waiting, the São Paulo metro was inaugurated on September 14, 1974. At the time, it consisted only of the North-South Line (now 1-Blue) and had five stations, initially connecting the Jabaquara and Vila Mariana regions. But pay attention to the timetable: it only ran from 9am to 1pm!
The novelty was so great that there was even a People’s Training Program, in which officials explained how the transport worked and answered questions from future users.
1979: Inauguration of the East-West Line (now 3-Red)
The first stretch of the East-West Line was inaugurated on March 10, 1979, causing much celebration once again on the part of the population and political bodies. It initially connected the Sé and Brás stations, but the plans were to expand it even further.
The entire stretch of the line was completed in 1988, giving it a very similar route to what we have today on the 3-Vermelha.
Early 21st century: New lines and expansions
With the turn of the century, the government invested in the expansion of the SP metro. In 2002, the population gained Line 5-Lilac which connected the Largo Treze and Capão Redondo sections. In 2010, it was the turn of the Southeast-Southwest Line, now known as Line 4-Yellow the first to be operated by the private sector.
Meanwhile, in 2010, Line 2 was given new stations and access to Vila Prudente.
Currently: 3rd largest metro in Latin America
Following its pioneering roots, the São Paulo metro is today the largest and busiest subway transportation system in Brazil. It is also the third longest in Latin America, behind only Mexico City and Santiago.
With a length of around 104 kilometers and 91 stations, it receives more than 5 million passengers a day, an increase of more than 1784% since its inauguration.
Soon, these numbers will be even higher. That’s because Line 6-Orange is due to open soon, in the second half of 2026, connecting the North Zone to the central region. In addition, Line 4-Yellow is being expanded and, once construction is complete, will run from Taboão da Serra to the center of São Paulo in just 20 minutes.
