PANAMA: Metro de Panamá has started test running on the 25 km monorail line in Panama City that is to link the two sides of the Panama Canal.
The double-track route with 14 stations will link the Albrook terminus of metro Line 1 to Ciudad del Futuro in the western hinterland. Test running is taking place between Patio y Talleres and Ciudad del Futuro, forming part of the line’s elevated section, which is now at 81% overall completion.
5.3 km of the line is underground between Albrook and Panama Pacifico. This is now 42% complete. The underground section includes the crossing under the Panama Canal, which is now 53% complete.
Opening of the line is planned for 2028.
Metro de Panamá awarded the HPH joint venture of Hyundai Engineering & Construction, POSCO and Hyundai Engineering Co the US$2·5bn contract to build Line 3 in February 2020. Under a US$883m subcontract, Hitachi Ltd, Hitachi Rail STS and Mitsubishi Corp are supplying rolling stock and railway systems.
Under a November 2020, US$883m contract, Hitachi and Hitachi Rail is providing 28 six-car trainsets, signalling, telecoms, power systems, the control centre, platform screen doors and depot equipment. Hitachi is also supplying its B-CHOP energy storage system, which will be used to recover and reuse regenerated power. Mitsubishi Corp manages the project.
A second phase of the line is planned to run further west from Ciudad del Futuro to La Chorrera.
- Read a feature article about the growing urban rail networks in Central America in the June 2026 issue of Railway Gazette International.