The Inter-American Development Bank ( IDB ) has approved a second US$530 million tranche under a conditional credit line for investment projects ( CCLIP ) to support the development of the first metro line in Bogotá, Colombia.

Opening in 2028, Line 1 will run for 23.9 kilometres and carry up to 72,000 passengers per hour in each direction – equivalent to more than one million daily users. The Bogotá Metro will transform travel in one of the world’s most congested cities, which remains the only major metropolis in the region without a metro system.

The new US$530 million credit line has a 23-year amortization period, a 5.5-year grace period, and an interest rate based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ( Sofr ).

Over the past 15 years, Bogota’s administrations have prioritized the development of metro lines integrated with the public transportation system, considering them a structural axis of urban mobility. The programme will benefit the 2.9 million inhabitants within the project’s area of influence, 96% of whom belong to low- and middle-income households.

After many years of delays, construction of Line 1 finally began in 2020. By year-end, the project is expected to reach 70% completion, underscoring its status as one of Latin America’s most high-profile infrastructure projects.

The US$5.3 billion project is supervised by the PLMB consortium, led by engineering group Ayesa, with partners MAB ( Colombia ), Italfer, and Metro de Milan ( Italy ). It is backed by the World Bank and the European Investment Bank, as well as the Inter-American Development Bank.

The rolling stock is being provided by CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles. Each train will comprise six cars, extend 135 metres, and carry 1,800 passengers. There will be a total of 30 trains running on Line 1. Production on 12 trains is already underway, with the full fleet scheduled for delivery by November 2026.