Insurgentes Sur BRT Line Opens in Mexico City

Posted: 24 Jun 2008

Related to: Mexico City Bicycle Planning, Planning & Advocacy for Cycling & Walking, Mexico
Contributed by: Bernardo Baranda Sepúlveda

On March 13, 2008, Insurgentes Avenue in Mexico City became the longest bus rapid transit (BRT) line in Latin America with the opening of an additional 8.5 kilometers.  Adding ten stations and 26 new articulated buses to the service, Insurgentes is now 28.5 kilometers long and serves over 260,000 passengers per day. 


Perisur Station is accessible through pedestrian bridges that bring passengers over the main road to the median aligned stations. (Source: Bernardo Baranda)

“The striking aspect of [Insurgentes] was the excellent branding, ease of use and frequency of service,” remarked Ellen Partridge of Chicago Transit Authority after she visited the system in March. “Visitors with limited fluency in the native language could easily know where to get on and off. After wending your way through little streets that change names every few blocks, it was refreshing to come upon Insurgentes and suddenly be completely clear about where you were in the City.”

While passengers are also pleased with reduction of travel times and emissions, the mandatory transfer at the Dr Galvez Station to change buses adds delay and inconvenience to the trip. Another frequent complaint is the saturation of the buses at peak-hours.


Stations, like University Station, allow the passengers to pay first and wait on the platform to board the bus when it arrives. (Source: Bernardo Baranda)

MetroBus, as the system is called, is a crucial element of the city’s strategy for improving the quality of life for its citizens.  When the new administration was elected in 2006, they committed to building 10 new lines by 2012, and this extension is another step towards fulfilling that promise. Eje 4 Sur, the next BRT corridor, is already under construction and expected to open at the end of this year.  CTS Mexico Embarq-WRI, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and ITDP are among the organizations supporting the government’s public transportation improvements.


Insurgentes Sur is just the newest BRT line to be added, with others like Eje 4 expected to open soon. (Source: Bernardo Baranda)