The Porto Alegre Metro, also known as Trensurb, is a major underground metro system serving the city of Porto Alegre in Brazil. This single-line system, together with an airport extension, serves 22 stations on a north-south route.
The Porto Alegre Metro is a public transport system serving Porto Alegre, Brazil. The metro system serves approximately 300,000 passengers per day.
The Porto Alegre 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 screen doors.
The system is operated by Trensurb. The metro trains have an average speed of 45km/h and can reach a maximum speed of 90km/h. For more information, you can visit the Porto Alegre Metro Official Website or call +55 51 3363 8000.
Porto Alegre Metro Map
Map of Porto Alegre Metro showing different lines. Click on the map to enlarge it.
About Porto Alegre
The City
The state capital of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, is located in the Federal Republic of Brazil. Influences of Portuguese and Italian immigrants from the 19th and 20th centuries are evident in the city’s cultural fabric, with some German touches.
With one of the highest levels of greenery in Brazil, Porto Alegre prides itself on its educated population. The city covers an area of 496.83 square kilometres and is recognised by the United Nations as the Brazilian metropolis with the highest quality of life.
The city is home to approximately 1.5 million people, while the metropolitan area is home to approximately 4.4 million people. Despite the high cost of living, which makes it one of the most expensive cities in Brazil, Porto Alegre’s cultural heritage and vibrant sports scene attract residents and visitors alike.
The Metro
The metro is a fundamental transport system in Porto Alegre, connecting the city centre with several suburbs, mainly in the north. Bus networks complement the metro services, providing seamless transport throughout the city.
The system consists of a single operational line and an airport link, extending over 43.4 km and serving 22 stations. Rolling stock includes models from the Japanese consortium (Nippon Sharyo, Hitachi and Kawasaki Heavy Industries), Alstom and the Brazilian company A-X00.
Trens Urbanos de Porto Alegre S.A., a public company dependent on the federal government known as Trensurb, operates the metro system, which has a daily ridership of approximately 228,000.
- Known as: Metro or Trensurb
- System length: 43.4 km
- Track gauge: 1600 mm
- Number of lines: 1
- Number of stations: 22
- Maximum operating speed: 90 km/h
- Website: www.trensurb.gov.br
- Operated by: Trens Urbanos de Porto Alegre S.A.
- Daily ridership: about 228,000 people
- Inaugurated: March 2nd, 1985
Historical Background
The need for a comprehensive public transport system arose as land transport routes became unsustainable. The Metro, inaugurated in 1980, aimed to connect the city centre with the suburbs. The BR-116 motorway was the only existing link between Porto Alegre and the northern suburbs of Canoas, Esteio, Sapucaia do Sul, São Leopoldo and Novo Hamburgo.
The official inauguration of the metro on 2 March 1985 marked the start of service between Mercado and Sapucaia. Over the years, it has undergone several extensions, notably reaching Unisinos station in 1997 and the centre of São Leopoldo a few years later. The most important extension was the connection to Salgado Filho International Airport in 2013.
Schedule and Timetables
The Porto Alegre Metro, which operates from 5am to 11.25pm, provides a continuous service between Novo Hamburgo and Mercado throughout the week.
Train Frequency and Schedule
The frequency of trains on the Porto Alegre metro varies throughout the day. Between 5 a.m. and just before 6 a.m., trains arrive every fifteen minutes. This interval gradually decreases, reaching a peak frequency of one train every four minutes during the morning rush hour, which is maintained until 8:40 a.m. From then on, a stable frequency of ten minutes is observed until 4:11 p.m., followed by a gradual reduction during the evening rush hour. During the evening rush hour, the interval is reduced to three and a half minutes.
Frequency is reduced at weekends. On Saturdays, trains run every fifteen minutes from 5 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and every ten minutes from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The frequency gradually decreases towards the end of the day. On Sundays, a consistent fifteen-minute frequency is maintained throughout the system’s operating hours.
For the airport people mover, the frequency is generally ten minutes on weekdays, with slight variations at weekends. On Saturdays, the service runs every fifteen minutes early in the morning and late at night, and every ten minutes from 7am to 8.30pm. On Sundays, a consistent fifteen-minute frequency is maintained throughout the day.
Tariffs, Tickets, and Cards
Several payment options cater to the diverse users of Porto Alegre Metro. Less frequent users can opt for single tickets, which cost R$1.70 (about $0.53 USD) and allow unlimited travel within the system’s boundaries. Integrated tickets for the metro and bus network are also available, with prices varying depending on the area of the city.
For frequent commuters, the SIM card offers four variants: “SIM Passagem Antecipada” for general and frequent use, “SIM Vale-Transporte” for workers with pre-loaded tickets from their company, “SIM Idoso” for passengers aged 65 and over and “SIM Unitário” for those who mainly use the metro.
Compatibility with the Integrated Transport Card (TRI) and the TEU card, or Metropolitan Ticket, further enhances the system’s flexibility.
Lines and Stations
The only operational line of the Porto Alegre Metro connects 22 stations over 43.4 kilometres. The line runs from north to south, seamlessly connecting Porto Alegre with its northern suburbs. Most of the line is at ground level.
At the southern end is Mercado station, located in the heart of the city on Avenida Júlio de Castilhos, with an integrated bus terminal. The station is close to the Mayor’s office and other state and federal institutions.
The next station to the north is Rodoviária, one of the most important in the system due to its connection with the city’s main bus station.
The next station is São Pedro, located near the banks of the Yacui River, on Voluntários da Patria Avenue, in the São Geraldo neighbourhood.
The line continues to Farrapos station, located on Avenida A. J. Renner in the Navegantes district, close to the UneSul terminal for easy access.
Our journey begins at Aeroporto station, located in Terminal 1 of the international airport. An automated people mover system connects this terminal with Terminal 2. The administrative offices of the metro system are located nearby.
The last station within the boundaries of Porto Alegre is Anchieta, located on Avenida dos Estados, in the Anchieta neighbourhood.
The Trensurb system now extends beyond Porto Alegre and enters the city of Canoas, running along Guilherme Schell Avenue. The first station in this city, Niterói, is named after the neighbourhood in which it is located, followed by Fátima. Shortly after that comes Canoas station, located in the centre of the city, surrounded by public and religious institutions.
The next station in the city is Mathias Velho, which serves the neighbourhood of the same name. It is followed by São Luis station, which takes trains north to Petrobras station, in the São José neighbourhood.
After leaving Canoas, the metro enters the city of Esteio. The only station here, also called Esteio, is located on Rua Maurício Cardoso, in the centre of the city.
We then arrive at Luiz Pasteur station, the first of two stations in Sapucaia do Sul. It is located on Sapucaia Avenue, in the Luiz Pasteur neighbourhood. Continue along Sapucaia Avenue, in the centre of the city.
Leaving Sapucaia behind, the trains arrive at Unisinos station. This station is next to the Vale do Rio dos Sinos University and is located on Mauá Avenue, in the Santa Tereza district of São Leopoldo. Further ahead is São Leopoldo station, on João Corrêa Avenue, in the São José neighbourhood. Also in this area is Rio dos Sinos station, located in the Santos Dumont neighbourhood, on Mauá Avenue.
The metro now enters the city of Novo Hamburgo. The first station in this city, Santo Alfonso, is located on Primeiro de Março Avenue, in the Santo Alfonso neighbourhood. This is followed by the Industrial/Tintas Killing station, located a little further north on the same avenue, in the Industrial neighbourhood. The next station is Fenac, built on Nações Unidas Avenue in the Ideal neighbourhood.
The line ends at the northern terminal, Novo Hamburgo station, also on Avenida Nações Unidas, but in the Rio Branco neighbourhood.
From the Aeroporto station, located in Terminal 1 of the Salgado Filho International Airport, there is a special shuttle service. This shuttle connects it with Terminal 2 of the airport by fully automated vehicles.
Interactions with Other Systems
Although Porto Alegre’s metro is a much-needed system, it currently only connects the northern suburbs of the city. As a result, many areas of the city remain inaccessible by metro, forcing passengers to rely on other forms of public transport. There are several alternatives. Buses are the main mode of transport in large cities around the world, as they can reach areas that are inaccessible by train. Bus lines in Porto Alegre are managed by the Public Transport and Circulation Company (EPTC), a local government body, unlike the metro system, which is run by the federal government.
There are 364 bus lines in Porto Alegre and its metropolitan region. In addition to buses, there are also 49 vans and minibuses. Several major bus stops are located close to metro stations, facilitating the integration of both systems. It’s also possible to take long-distance buses through the Mercado and Rodoviária stations, which are connected to bus terminals.
The river is another important means of transport in the city. Porto Alegre’s port is the most important river port in Brazil and handles a significant amount of the city’s cargo. However, most of the river traffic is limited to freight, and passenger traffic is virtually non-existent.
Connections to the Airport
Salgado Filho International Airport, Porto Alegre’s international flight terminal, has been under the management of the German transport company Fraport since 2017. It is the busiest airport in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and the eighth busiest in Brazil. With an area of almost four million square metres, the airport originally had a single terminal, now known as Terminal 2 or the old airport. Due to increasing capacity demands, the airport was renovated and Terminal 1 was inaugurated in 2001.
Terminal 1 is directly connected to the Aeroporto metro station. However, it is a little far from Terminal 2. A solution to this problem was introduced in 2013 with the inauguration of a shuttle line. This people mover system bridges the 814-metre gap between the two terminals and can accommodate around 300 people per cabin.
Rules and Regulations
All metro systems have rules that passengers must follow to ensure a safe and satisfactory journey. In the case of Porto Alegre Metro, the main rules are
- Animals are not allowed, except for service animals such as guide dogs for the disabled or blind.
- Unauthorised artistic performances are not allowed in the facilities.
- Large parcels that may disturb the comfort of other passengers are not allowed.
- On weekdays, bicycles are allowed in the metro from 9.30 to 11.00, from 14.00 to 16.00 and from 21.00 to 23.25. On Sundays, they are allowed at any time.
Future Expansions
The vision for the Porto Alegre metro is grand, with the aim of connecting all the major metropolitan areas. A near-term extension will add another shuttle line in the city of Canoas. A similar exploratory project is in the pipeline, proposing a link from Anchieta station to the Arena do Grêmio stadium. Beyond the suburbs, a proposed extension aims to deepen the metro’s presence in Novo Hamburgo, extending to Campo Bom and Sapiranga, neighbouring cities to the northeast.
Advice
- Although tickets are priced independently of distance, it’s important to understand the different types of ticket available to choose the most suitable option for your journey, especially if you’re planning to travel through several towns in the area.
- It is also important to respect the timetables for bicycle transport.
- Remember that the main purpose of this public transport system is to connect the suburbs with the centre of Porto Alegre.
Fun Facts
- The main objective of the system is to connect the northern satellite cities with Porto Alegre.
- It operates on a single line, similar to the metros in Belo Horizonte and Teresina.
- It’s one of eight metro systems in Brazil, along with those in Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, São Paulo and Teresina.
- 60% of the users of the system are from the city of Canoas.
Tourism and Sightseeing
Brazil has established itself as a major tourist destination with world-renowned attractions. Porto Alegre and its surrounding cities have become important tourist centres thanks to their temperate climate, European influence and maritime charm. Using the Porto Alegre Metro, here are some of the places you can visit:
São Pedro Theatre: Located in the historic centre, it’s accessible from Mercado station, just five blocks away. Although a medium-sized theatre, it has impressive architecture and reasonable prices.
Santa Casa Historical and Cultural Centre: Located in the city centre, this museum specialises in the medical history of southern Brazil. It’s close to the Mercado or Rodoviária stations.
Arena do Grêmio: A major attraction, especially for fans of the local team or those familiar with it. Football is an essential part of life in the country and many important matches are played here. To get to the stadium, get off at Anchieta station and walk along Padre Leopoldo Bretano Avenue.