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The metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, has a population of about 5 million.

Construction of a mainly surface metro started in 1981. The first line was planned from Eldorado in the west to São Gabriel in the north of the city centre. It would be 23.5 km long and have 16 stations. In 1987 construction work came to a halt due to financial problems and only a 12.5 km stretch with 7 station was put into service between Eldorado and Central. Construction was resumed in 1991 and eventually reached Vilarinho in 2002. It has a total length of 28.2 km with 19 stations.

In 2001 the metrô was handed over from CBTU (Companhia Brasileira de Trens Urbanos) to Trem Metropolitano de Belo Horizonte SA. Currently 25 trains operate on the first line. A trip along the whole section takes 25 minutes.

01-08-1986 - Eldorado - Lagoinha (without Vila Oeste)
xx-04-1987 - Lagoinha - Central
xx-04-1992 - Central - Santa Efigenia
xx-12-1992 - Santa Efigenia - Horto (without Santa Tereza)
xx-12-1993 - Santa Tereza station added
xx-12-1994 - Horto - Santa Ines
xx-04-1997 - Santa Ines - Minas Shopping
30-07-1999 - Vila Oeste station added
05-01-2002 - Minas Shopping - Sao Gabriel
xx-04-2002 - Sao Gabriel - Primeiro de Maio
xx-07-2002 - Primeiro de Maio - Floramar
20-09-2002 - Floramar - Vilarinho

 Projects

Line 2 will branch off the first line at Calafate and run towards the southwest to Barreiro. It will be 10 km long and have 6 stations. Construction started in 1998 (and its inauguration was once scheduled for 2003).

In the long run, Line 1 could be extended at both ends, north to Ribeirão das Neves and west to Betim, Line 2 towards the city centre to the hospital area, and a new Line 3 should run north-south through the city centre from Pampulha (airport) to Savassi.

5:45 - 23:00, every 5-7 min rush hours, every 13 minutes daytime. Saturdays every 13-16 min, Sundays every 16 minutes.

Between São Gabriel and Vilarinho a restricted service every 25 minutes is operated.

- FARES (2008)

Unitária (Single) - R$ 1.80
10 rides - $ 16.20

Metro Belo Horizonte (Official Site)

BHTrans Official site

CBTU-Demetrô Page incl. map