Belo Horizonte Metro — Map, Lines, Route, Hours, Tickets

The Belo Horizonte Metro is a surface rail system consisting of a single line with a length of 37 kilometres and 19 stations. It operates every day of the year, from 5:40 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., with departures every 4 to 10 minutes. A single ticket costs 1.80 reales (equivalent to 0.55 USD). Passengers can also choose to purchase tickets by card. Although there isn’t a direct connection to the airport, there are public buses.

The Belo Horizonte Metro, also known as Metrô, is a public transport system in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The metro system serves approximately 160,000 passengers per day.

The Belo Horizonte Metro does not operate 24 hours a day and does not provide air conditioning for its passengers. It does not have the ability to walk between platforms or driverless trains. It also has no platform doors. The fare for a trip on the Belo Horizonte Metro is 1.80 Brazilian Real.

The system is operated by the Companhia Brasileira de Trens Urbanos (CBTU).

Belo Horizonte Metro Map

Map of Belo Horizonte Metro showing different lines. Click on the map to enlarge it or download the Belo Horizonte Metro map in PDF format.

Belo Horizonte Metro in the Context of Brazilian Metros

As the capital of Minas Gerais, a Brazilian state located in the southern part of the country, Belo Horizonte boasts a metropolitan population of over five million. Intentionally built to serve as the political, economic and cultural centre of the state, the city has experienced significant population growth in recent decades.

As the third most populous city in Brazil, Belo Horizonte has hosted major events, including the 2014 World Cup. Ranked only behind Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in terms of population, the city has a high demand for services, particularly transport.

In the 1980s, the city authorities recognised the need for a comprehensive transport system to accommodate the burgeoning population. This led to the inauguration of the Belo Horizonte Metro in 1986, which initially consisted of a fleet of five trains. Plans to increase the number of trains for the opening were shelved due to budget cuts by the federal government. Nevertheless, 20 additional trains were procured in 1991, following a directive from the National Congress, bringing the total number of trains to 25.

The Belo Horizonte metro operates on a single line over a distance of 37 km. Future expansion plans include two new lines, adding 30 kilometres to the network.

Lines and Stations

The Belo Horizonte metro is a single line with a length of 37 km. It starts at Eldorado station in Contagem, north of Belo Horizonte, and ends at Vilarinho station in the Venda Nova region, southwest of the city. The metro has 19 stations scattered along the 28.1 km of active track, with the remaining 9 km being the return journey of the trains to their starting stations. Unlike typical metros, which are often underground, both the trains and the stations are on the surface. Serving the main areas of the city, the metro has an estimated 840,000 daily users, with trains travelling at an average speed of 40km/h. Trains depart every 4 to 10 minutes.

Stations

Eldorado Station: Located on Rua Jequitibás, 530 in the Contagem district, this station is one of the termini of the system and is the busiest in the Belo Horizonte Metro.
Cidade Industrial Station: Located on Rua Diamante, 50 – Camargos, it serves the Camargos and Santa Maria neighbourhoods.
Vila Oeste Station: Located at Rua Quilombo, 300 – Vila Oeste, this station serves the areas of Vila Oeste, Vista Alegre, Madre Gertrudes, Nova Gameleira and Cabana do Pai Tomáz.
Gameleira Station: Located next to the Expominas Events Centre in the Parque de Exposiçoes de Minas Gerais, the station is located at Rua Conde Pereira Carneiro, 495 – Gameleira.
Carlos Prates Station: Located on Avenida Nossa Senhora de Fátima, 2.875 – Carlos Prates, it serves the Carlos Prates and Barro Preto neighbourhoods.
Lagoinha Station: Located on Avenida Nossa Senhora de Fátima, 1.295 – Lagoinha, this station connects the Lagoinha neighbourhood with downtown Belo Horizonte and the Rodoviário Bus Terminal.
Central Station: Located in Praça Rui Barbosa, s/nº – Centre, this downtown station is known for hosting cultural events in its premises.
Santa Efigênia Station: Located at Rua Conselheiro Rocha, 2.387 – Santa Efigênia, it serves the Santa Efigênia region, which is home to many hospitals and the Medical Faculty of the Federal University of Minas Gerais.
Santa Tereza Station: Located at Rua Mármore, 1.020 – Santa Tereza, it serves the Santa Tereza neighbourhood, adjacent to the Mário Penna Hospital and the Belo Horizonte Municipal Chamber.
Horto Florestal Station: Located at Rua Conselheiro Rocha, 4.050 – Horto, this station serves the Horto and Sagrada Família areas.
Santa Inês Station: Located on Avenida Contagem, 30 – Santa Ines, in the Santa Ines neighbourhood, it is close to the Botanical Garden, the Agronomy Institute and the Natural Science Museum.
José Cândido da Silveira Station: Also in the Santa Ines neighbourhood, this station is located at Rua Gustavo da Silveira, 1.820 – Santa Ines.
Minas Shopping Station: Located at Rua Queluzita, 300 – Sao Paulo, this station is in front of the Minas Shopping Centre, in the Sao Paulo region.
São Gabriel Station: Also in the Sao Paulo region and close to the Municipal Market, it is located on Avenida Cristiano Machado, 5.600 – Sao Paulo.
1º de Maio Station: Located in Avenida Cristiano Machado, 9.040 – Primeiro de Maio, this station is in the Primeiro de Maio district, close to the Municipal Secretary of Saúde.
Waldomiro Lobo Station: Located on Avenida Cristiano Machado, 9.184 – Heliopolis, it serves the Heliopolis neighbourhood, between Waldomiro Lobo and Saramenha Avenues.
Floramar Station: Located at Avenida Cristiano Machado, nº. 10.411 – Floramar, this station serves the Floramar area.
Vilarinho Station: Located on Avenida Vilarinho, nº 36 – Vila Clóris, it serves the Vila Clóris area, next to the Bosque da Esperança and Cemitério da Consolaçao cemeteries. It is another terminus of the Belo Horizonte metro system.

Schedule

The Belo Horizonte Metro operates daily from 5:40 am to 11:00 pm, with the exception of Vilarinho, Sao Gabriel and Eldorado stations, which open at 5:15 am.

Connections

The metro connects to a number of bus routes that provide transport to areas not served by the metro. Some of these are

Route 401 Cidade Industrial / Santa Maria: Located at Cidade Industrial station, it connects with a bus service to the city of Santa Maria.
Route 402 Cidade Industrial / Camargos: Also located at Cidade Industrial, this bus line connects to the municipality of Camargos.
Route 202 Vila Oeste Station / Nova Cintra: This line connects the passengers of Vila Oeste Station with the region of Nova Cintra.
Route 204 Vila Oeste Station/Nova Gameleira: This route connects the Vila Oeste Station with the region of Nova Gameleira.
Route 205 Calafete/Buritis: This route provides transport between Calafate station and the Buritis neighbourhood.
Vilarinho, Sao Gabriel, Cândido da Silveira and Eldorado stations are integrated into the Belo Horizonte Bus Service (BHBUS), which
provides transport throughout the city.
The Central Station is directly connected to the Ferrocarril Vitória a Minas (EFVM), which connects Belo Horizonte with the state of
Espíritu Santo. At Lagoinha station, there is a regional bus terminal that provides transport throughout Brazil. Both the EFVM and the bus terminal connect to the Belo Horizonte Bus Line (BHBUS).

Fares

The Belo Horizonte Metro offers two methods of payment: regular tickets and the BHBUS card. The BHBUS card is reusable but limited to six trips per day. It also has the advantage of being valid for bus travel.

A single ticket costs 1.80 reales (USD 0.55), while a return ticket costs 3.60 reales (USD 1.09).

There is also a 10-ride ticket called the Bilhete Multiplo for 16.20 reales (4.91 USD). These tickets can be bought conveniently at ticket booths and are ideal for short-term visitors who won’t be using other forms of transport. For those wishing to use bus services, a BHBUS card is required.

BHBUS cards can be purchased from station ticket offices and authorised shops. They are priced according to the category, which includes one trip on the metro and one on the bus. The prices are as follows (R$ = reales):

Price A: 4,05 R$ (1,23 USD)
Price B: 4,85 R$ (1,47 USD)
Price C: 5,80 R$ (1,76 USD)
Price D: 6,10 R$ (1,85 USD)
Price E: 6,30 R$ (1,91 USD)
Price F: 4,60 R$ (1,39 USD)
Price G: 5,60 R$ (1,70 USD)
Price H: 4,20 R$ (1,27 USD)
Price I: 5,15 R$ (1,56 USD)

The Metro is free for people over 65 and children under six. Metro staff are trained to provide any assistance needed by senior citizens.

In addition, people with disabilities receive special attention from Metro staff and facilities to meet their needs. Stations are equipped with ramps and special doors, and there are reserved seats on trains.

Rules

Alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited in metro facilities and carriages.
Passengers under the influence of alcohol or narcotics are not allowed to board trains.
Passengers are not allowed to board trains without a shirt.
Passengers are not allowed to carry firearms or other deadly objects without prior permission from Metro staff.
It is forbidden to carry flammable materials or explosive objects inside Metro facilities.
Smoking, lighting cigarettes, tobacco or pipes is not allowed in the facilities or on the trains.
Listening to music is allowed only with headphones.
Begging is prohibited in the stations and trains of the Belo Horizonte Metro.
Selling goods inside the facilities is not allowed, unless authorised.
It is forbidden to distribute flyers, leaflets or pamphlets in the trains and stations of the metro. It is also forbidden to put up posters without prior authorisation.
Improper use of escalators, such as using them in the opposite direction to that indicated, will result in a fine.
Distracting or inconveniencing Metro staff on trains or in stations is prohibited.
Access to staff-only areas is prohibited.
It is not permitted to carry goods that may inconvenience other passengers or damage Metro equipment.
Small animals may be carried provided they are in cages.
The Belo Horizonte Metro staff reserves the right to deny access to the facilities if a passenger has a highly contagious disease or infection.
It is not allowed to run in the stations or on the trains, to disturb or assault other passengers.
Children should be accompanied and held by their legal guardians.
Damage to metro equipment or improper use is strictly prohibited.
Do not put your feet on the walls, benches or seats.
Littering the tracks is not allowed under any circumstances.
It is forbidden to cross the yellow line while waiting for a train.
It is not allowed to obstruct the train doors while they are opening or closing.
Emergency equipment must only be used in emergencies. Misuse is prohibited.
It is forbidden to enter the driver’s cab.

Fun Facts

A single train on the Belo Horizonte metro can carry the equivalent of 13 bus loads of passengers.
The metro makes an average of 300 trips per day, or about 7,600 trips per month.
Each year, the Belo Horizonte Metro serves more than 58 million passengers.
The daily ridership of the Belo Horizonte Metro is approximately 230,000 passengers.
The trains have a punctuality rate of 99.5%.
The metro provides connections to 430 bus lines through designated stations.
Revenues from the Belo Horizonte Metro have been used to plant approximately 60,000 trees in the city, creating 25 hectares of new green space.
Belo Horizonte Metro operates a fleet of 25 trains. Each train weighs 202 tonnes and is 91 metres long and 3 metres wide.

Connection to the Airport

The Belo Horizonte Metro does not have a direct connection to the Aeroporto Internacional de Belo Horizonte-Confins. However, passengers can get to the airport from downtown Belo Horizonte by public transport:

First, take the Belo Horizonte Metro to Lagoinha station. From there, go to the nearby Rodoviário bus station, which serves the whole of Brazil. Look for a bus route that goes to the airport. The trip from downtown Belo Horizonte to the airport, which is 45km away, takes about an hour and costs R$13.45 ($4.10). Check the Rodoviário website for up-to-date schedules.

Similarly, if you want to get from the airport to downtown Belo Horizonte, buses from the airport run to Rodoviário. Other routes go to Álvares Cabral and Betim, but prices vary. The route from the Aeroporto Internacional de Belo Horizonte-Confins to Avenida Álvares Cabral in downtown Belo Horizonte costs R$29.35 ($8.95). The trip from the airport to Betim in downtown Belo Horizonte costs 44.65 R$ (13.61 USD).

Future Expansions

From 2001 to 2004, the CBTU, the organisation responsible for managing the metro, proposed the “Railway Transportation Master Plan”. The plan aims to modernise and expand regional rail services in the Belo Horizonte metropolitan region. Based on a study of the city’s main roads and future traffic patterns, the plan calls for the construction of two new metro lines, Lines 2 and 3. Line 1 will also be extended to serve the town of Betim. Line 2 will serve the Barreiro-Calafate sector, including Amazonas and Alfonso Pena avenues, the Santa Efigênia hospital area and the Santa Teresa community. Line 2 will have a total length of 19 km.

Line 3 will connect the Pampulha and Savassi areas. All its stations will be underground. It will serve the Antonio Carlos and Alfonso Pena avenues. The line will have a total length of 12.5 km. The “Rail Transportation Master Plan” aims to restructure the entire transport system of the Belo Horizonte metropolitan area and reduce road traffic. This expansion is expected to increase daily ridership to 1.2 million passengers, making the Belo Horizonte Metro the second busiest metro system in Brazil, with a higher daily ridership than the Rio de Janeiro Metro.

Nearby Attractions

Situated close to the main railway station, the magnificent Sao José Church was built in 1902. It’s one of the city’s most remarkable structures, with a unique neo-Manueline design, a Portuguese architectural style rarely seen outside of Portuguese-speaking countries. The church is open to the public free of charge and is located on Rua Tupis in downtown Belo Horizonte.

Also near the main station is the Museu Força Expedicionária Brasileira (FEB Museum). This small but richly historical museum features exhibits about the Brazilian expedition to Italy during World War II, when Brazil sent a troop of 25,000 soldiers to support the Allies. The museum is run by veterans of the expedition, many of whom are available to share their personal war stories. The museum also displays artillery, guns, tanks and other artefacts of historical interest from the war.

Visitors to the Santa Ines metro station will find the Natural History Museum and Botanical Gardens (UFMG), an ideal place for biologists and plant lovers. The museum’s facilities include exhibits of local animals such as monkeys, agouti and turtles. To make learning about physics fun for children, the museum also offers special games.