Lima Metro, Peru

Lima Metro, also called Tren Eléctrico, is a rapid transit metropolitan railway that serves Lima, the capital city of Peru. It provides a transport link between different suburbs of the city with a population of over eight million.

Line 1 of the Lima Metro was put into operation in January 2012. The tenders for the consultancy contract of Line 2 of Lima Metro were issued in 2012. A consortium led by Geodata, an Italian firm, was selected as the winning bidder. The whole 22km stretch was operational by January 2012.

The Lima Metro project

The proposals for a mass rapid transit system to serve the city of Lima were made in 1970s, with construction starting in 1986 but was abandoned midway as the country's economy plunged into a deep economical and social crisis.

The project resumed in 2008 and tenders were issued by the government's private investment agency ProInversion. Several consortia were interested in the bid, which included construction and operation of Line 1 for a concession period of 40 years, including Acciona and Graña y Montero, Metro de Madrid and OHL and Cobra and Abengo-Telent. A length of 9.2km of the line was already constructed, with the winner constructing the remaining 12.3km stretch and operating the whole line. The tender was, however, abandoned due to lack of funding for the project.

In December 2009, Tren Electrico Lima consortium, comprising Grana y Montero and Norberto Odebrecht, was selected as the winning bidder for the construction of the line, for $410.2m. Work on the line started in March 2010 and included the construction of nine new stations and installation of new electromechanical equipment for the entire route. The total cost of the project was estimated to be around $549m, with Corporación Andina de Fomento granting a loan of $300m.

In March 2011, ProInversion awarded Tren Lima (consortium of Graña y Montero and Ferrovías) the operation and maintenance contract of the metro for a concession period of 30 years. An investment of $290m was put forth for the project by the consortium, with around $200m from the investment set to be used for the purchase of new rolling stock.

Tren Eléctrico routes

Line 1 of the Lima Metro includes a total of 16 stations, starting from Villa El Salvador to Miguel Grau. The whole stretch runs on standard (1,435mm) gauge and 1500V DC power supply, and is being extended northwards to stretch to over 33.98km with an additional ten stations.

The Lima Metro rolling stock

Line 1 is currently served by 42 train sets designed by Ansaldo Breda, while Alstom was awarded a $158.6m contract to supply 19 five-car Metropolis train sets for operation on Line 1. These trains will have low floor, wide doors, extra-wide seats and extra width to ensure free flow of passengers. They will also allow maximum natural light to enter inside the vehicle and will be fitted with information displays. The first train set of the order is expected to be delivered in late 2012 and will be put into operation in 2013.

Tren Eléctrico signalling and communication

Bombardier was awarded a $19.36m contract for the supply of Cityflo 350 signalling for Line 1. The contract includes the installation of interlocking, track circuits and control equipment on the entire line.

The Cityflo 350 signalling system includes onboard automatic train protection (ATP) and automatic train operation (ATO). Both the systems are integrated with a display in the driver's cabin.

Future expansions of the Lima Metro

In 2010, Corporación Andina de Fomento agreed to fund a feasibility study of phase II of Line 1 of the metro. The second phase includes a 12.4km north extension of Line 1.

Proposals for construction of Line 2 of the metro were accepted in 2012 with a consortium led by Geodata Engineering awarded the consultancy contract in July 2012. ProInversion expects to award the concession contract at the end of 2013.

The proposed Line 2 of the metro will be mostly underground, stretching 35km. It will connect Ate in Lima with the Callao region, bordering the capital and intersecting Line 1 at Miguel Grau. A branch to this line connecting to the International Airport is also being planned. The project is estimated to cost around $3bn and be operational by 2016.

Charities Aid Foundation Bank has agreed to issue a loan of $600m for 18 years and a grace period equivalent to construction phase of the line. Line 3 and Line 4 of the metro are also being proposed.