Bogotá conducted a test of the first train for its first metro line on May 29, 2024 [1].
The milestone represents a critical step in completing the most significant infrastructure project in Colombia's history after decades of delays. The system aims to modernize urban transit in the capital city and reduce chronic traffic congestion.
Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán oversaw the trials, which took place between stations one and two in the south of Bogotá [1]. The testing phase is part of a broader timeline to ensure safety and technical reliability before the system opens to the public. According to official projections, the metro service is expected to begin operations in March 2028 [1].
While tests continue in the city, additional rolling stock is arriving in the country. Reports indicate that the second train for the first line has already arrived at the port of Cartagena [3]. These trains must be processed through the port before they are transported overland to Bogotá for integration into the network [2, 3].
The logistics of transporting heavy rail equipment from the coast to the Andean highlands present a significant engineering challenge. The arrival of these units marks the transition from construction of the viaducts and stations to the operational phase of the project.
City officials said the project is moving forward to meet the 2028 deadline. The first line will serve as the backbone of the city's future integrated transport system, connecting southern districts to the rest of the metropolitan area [1].
“The metro service is expected to begin operations in March 2028.”
The transition from infrastructure construction to rolling stock testing signifies that Bogotá's metro is moving out of the conceptual and civil engineering phase. By successfully transporting trains from Cartagena to the capital and conducting trials between stations, the city is validating the logistical chain required to scale the system. The 2028 target date serves as a critical benchmark for the administration to prove it can deliver a massive public works project that has historically been stalled by political and financial instability.
