Santiago Metro Line 2


Santiago Metro Line 2 is one of the seven rapid transit lines that currently make up the Santiago Metro network in Santiago, Chile. It has 22 stations and 20.7 km of track. The line intersects with Line 1 at Los Héroes, with the Line 3 at Puente Cal y Canto, with Line 4A at La Cisterna, with Line 5 at Santa Ana, and Line 6 at Franklin. It will also intersect with the future Line 7 at Puente Cal y Canto. Its distinctive colour on the network map is banana yellow.
In 2015, Line 2 accounted for 18.8% of all trips made on the metro with a daily ridership of 325,400.

History

The first section on Line 2 opened to the public on March 31, 1978 running between Los Héroes and Franklin. Later the same year, in December, the next section opened running between Franklin and Lo Ovalle.
Plans for an extension southeast towards Rodrigo de Araya were postponed after a major earthquake in 1985; in fact, only two stations opened separately at the line's northern end in 1987. Two decades later, with a change of plans, it was decided that Line 2 would continue northwards instead of southeast, owing to recent availability of Tunnel Boring Machines, and on September 8, 2004, two further stations opened to the north, Patronato and Cerro Blanco. These stations marked a new feat in Santiago and overall Chilean engineering by building under the Mapocho River and the Costanera Norte freeway. That year, the line was also extended to the south with the opening of El Parrón and La Cisterna.
Another section opened in the north on November 25, 2005, running from Cerro Blanco station to Einstein station. Finally, on December 22, 2006, the three most recent stations opened: Vespucio Norte, Zapadores and Dorsal.
On October 26, 2009, the express service began to run on Line 2, stopping at certain stations only at peak times, allowing for faster journeys.
On November 2, 2017, line 6 opened to the public, intersecting line 2 with line 6 at Franklin.
On July 30, 2019, the construction of a southward extension began, where 4 new stations will be added; the extension will be operational by 2023, enabling the metro to serve El Bosque and San Bernando, specifically the El Pino hospital in the latter.
In October 2019, a series of protests resulted in damage to the metro network. Line 2 was closed because of a fire in the mezzanine of Vesupcio Norte on October 18, which resulted in moderate damage; a few other stations on Line 2 suffered minor damage. Service on the line was partly restored on October 25 with trains running express between La Cisterna and Zapadores. Full service was restored to Line 2 on November 11. The protests didn't affect the works on the southward extension to San Bernardo.

Communes served by Line 2

This line serves the following communes from North to South:
The express service works during peak hours and allows trains to stop at alternate stations, reducing the number of stops and the duration of journeys. The stations on the line are divided into “green route” stations, “red route” stations and “common” stations, where all trains stop and allow passengers to switch between red and green routes. The express service works from Monday to Friday, between 6am - 9am and 6pm - 9pm.

Red Route Stations

There are 8 stations where both red and green route trains stop. They are the busiest stations and give commuters the chance to change between routes.
Line 2 stations from east to west are:
StationsTransfersLocationOpeningCommuneNotes
Vespucio NorteAv. Americo Vespucio Norte/Principal Ignacio Carrera PintoDecember 21, 2006Huechuraba/Recoleta
ZapadoresAv. Recoleta/Av. ZapadoresDecember 21, 2006Recoleta
DorsalAv. Recoleta/Av. DorsalDecember 21, 2006Recoleta
EinsteinAv. Recoleta/Av. EinsteinNovember 25, 2005Recoleta
CementeriosAv. Recoleta/Av. Arzobispo ValdiviesoNovember 25, 2005Recoleta
Cerro BlancoAv. Recoleta/Av. Santos DumontSeptember 8, 2004Recoleta
PatronatoAv. Recoleta/Av. Santa FilomenaSeptember 8, 2004Recoleta
Puente Cal y CantoBandera/Av. BalmacedaSeptember 15, 1987Independencia/Recoleta/SantiagoThis station will be a future transfer with the planned line in 2026
Santa AnaAv. Manuel Rodriguez/CatedralSeptember 15, 1987Santiago
Los HéroesAv. Manuel Rodriguez/Av. Lib. Bdo. O'HigginsMarch 31, 1978Santiago
ToescaAv. Presidente Jorge Alessandri/ToescaMarch 31, 1978Santiago
Parque O'HigginsAv. Presidente Jorge Alessandri/Av. Manuel Antonio MattaMarch 31, 1978Santiago
RondizzoniAv. Presidente Jorge Alessandri/Av. RondizzoniMarch 31, 1978Santiago
FranklinPlacer/Av. Nataniel CoxMarch 31, 1978Santiago/San Miguel
El LlanoGran Avenida José Miguel Carrera/Av. José Joaquín VallejosDecember 21, 1978San Miguel
San MiguelGran Avenida José Miguel Carrera/CuriñancaDecember 21, 1978San Miguel
Lo VialGran Avenida José Miguel Carrera/Av. Blanco VielDecember 21, 1978San Miguel
DepartamentalGran Avenida José Miguel Carrera/Carlos EdwardsDecember 21, 1978San Miguel
Ciudad del NiñoGran Avenida José Miguel Carrera/Varas MenaDecember 21, 1978San Miguel
Lo OvalleGran Avenida José Miguel Carrera/CarvajalDecember 21, 1978La Cisterna
El ParrónGran Avenida José Miguel Carrera/Av. El ParrónDecember 22, 2004La Cisterna
La CisternaGran Avenida José Miguel Carrera/Av. Américo Vespucio SurDecember 22, 2004La Cisterna
RiquelmeAv. Padre Hurtado/Riquelme2023La Cisterna/El Bosque
ObservatorioAv. Padre Hurtado/Av. Observatorio2023El Bosque
Lo MartínezAv. Padre Hurtado/Av. Lo Martínez2023El Bosque
Hospital El PinoAv. Padre Hurtado/Av. Lo Blanco2023El Bosque/San Bernardo

Line 2 data sheet