Panama City Metro Line 1

Sener, strategic partner in the design and expansion of line 1 of Panama City’s metro network

Sener has been a key partner in the development of Line 1 of the Panama Metro, a vital infrastructure for mobility in the capital. Our involvement spans from the initial design of the line, commissioned in 2014, to its expansion to Villa Zaita, inaugurated in 2024.

In the initial phase, we were responsible for the tender design, basic design, detailed design and technical assistance in construction of the underground section, which includes the design of the tunnel, underground stations and workshops and depots, working for the construction consortium formed by FCC and Odebrecht.

Later, we continued our collaboration in the expansion of Line 1 as responsible for the tender, basic, detailed design and technical assistance on-site for the OHLA and Mota-Engil consortium.

This ongoing commitment highlights our experience and capacity to accompany the development of key infrastructure throughout its life cycle.

Features of Line 1

18.4 km extension:

ts route runs mainly in a north-south direction, connecting the National Bus Terminal in Albrook with Villa Zaíta.

15 stations:

The stations are distributed in elevated (7 stations) and underground (8 stations) sections, adapting to the urban geography.

Connections:

Line 1 connects with Line 2 at San Miguelito station, facilitating mobility between areas of the city, and will connect with Line 3 at Albrook.

Urban Mobility:

After the latest extension, it is estimated that between 270,000 and 310,000 people will use Metro Line 1 daily.

Advantages

Promotes sustainable mobility

decongesting traffic in the area and favoring a better quality of life for its inhabitants.

Contributes to the economic and social development of the region.

Sener’s participation in the project

Initial Phase (Inauguration in 2014)

Sener accompanied the construction consortium in all phases of the Design & Build project, from technical assistance and preparation of technical documentation in the tender process, to detailed design, including technical assistance for construction.

We elaborate the detailed design of the 7.1 km double-track tunnel and eight underground stations, including associated ventilation and emergency rescue shafts. In addition, we collaborated with the consortium on:

Elaboration of the design basis: in coordination with the client, we prepared the design basis for all specialties, in addition to developing field work such as topography, geology, hydrological studies, etc.
Basic design of the project: identification and resolution of all design interfaces between all disciplines and the different parties involved.
Construction project: Sener carried out the construction project for the Panama Metro, including:
- 7.1 km in tunnel with TBM.
- 8 underground stations.
- Workshops and depots for a fleet of 26 trains, with a total area of 10 Ha.
- Ventilation shafts and emergency exits.
- Auxiliary systems.
- Technical assistance to the construction under the D&B modality.

The Panama Metro was conceived as a high-capacity mass transit system with conventional metro-type trains with steel wheels, composed of up to a maximum of 5 cars, for an approximate length of 91 m and 2.71 m wide at the waist, and with an estimated maximum capacity to transport 39,000 passengers per hour.

Expansion: from San Isidro to Villa Zaita (inaugurated in 2024)

A 2.4 km extension located on the north side towards the Villa Zaita area, including a new station with this name, for which we have developed the tender, basic and detailed engineering of the civil works of the project.

The project has an investment of more than 200 million euros and will allow an increasing of the traffic of the metro line by 30,000 passengers per day.

At Sener we have been in charge of the:

Design of the route: an elevated section along its entire length, which is materialized on prestressed concrete beams up to 30 meters long.
Viaduct.
New elevated station at Villa Zaita (located above Avenida Transístmica, with a section that expands from two to three lanes in each direction).
Intermodal building (with a bus interchange with 16 bus platforms and two floors for a total of 600 parking spaces).
Pedestrian accesses and the extension of the avenue: the redevelopment of the surroundings of the track and the station has been developed, on a total area of about 13 hectares.
Management of interfaces with railway systems.

Sener’s participation in Panama projects

Sener has been a key player in the transformation of mobility in Panama City. In addition to Metro Line 1, we are involved in the construction of Metro Line 3 and the emblematic Fourth Bridge over the Panama Canal. These vital infrastructures seek to alleviate traffic congestion and improve the quality of life for more than one million people.

FAQs

What characterizes Line 1 of the Panama Metro?

Line 1 of the Panama Metro is the first undergroung line built in Central America, designed to improve urban mobility in Panama City.

How long is Line 1 of the Panama Metro?

It is approximately 18 kilometers long.

How many stations does Line 1 of the Panama Metro have?

It has 15 stations, of which 8 are underground and 7 are elevated.

What is the route of Line 1 of the Panama Subway?

Its route runs north-south, connecting the National Bus Terminal in Albrook with Villa Zaíta.

How many passengers does Line 1 carry daily?

Line 1 of the Panama Metro has the capacity to transport between 270,000 and 310,000 people daily.

What is the distinctive color of line 1?

Its distinctive color is red.

What other lines does line 1 connect with?

It connects with line 2 at San Miguelito station and will have a connection with the future line 3 at Albrook.

What type of trains does Panama Metro Line 1 use?

It uses conventional metro type trains with steel wheels, composed of up to a maximum of 5 cars.

Transportation

Urban Transit

Depots & Workshops

Panama City Metro Line 1

Engineering that boosts sustainable mobility in Panama City