Mexico City Metro Line 1


Mexico City Metro Line 1 is one of the twelve Metro lines operating in Mexico City, Mexico. Officially inaugurated in 1969, it was the first metro line to be built in the country. Its identifying color is pink, and it runs west–east.
Juanacatlán, Tacubaya, and Observatorio, Chapultepec, Sevilla, Insurgentes, Cuauhtémoc, Balderas, and Salto del Agua stations are currently closed for reconstruction.
The line is built under several avenues: Parque Lira, Pedro Antonio de los Santos, Circuito Interior, Avenida de los Insurgentes, Avenida Chapultepec, Arcos de Belén, Balderas, Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas, José María Izazaga, Isabel la Católica, Anillo de Circunvalación, Congreso de la Unión, Eduardo Molina, and Ignacio Zaragoza.
It connects with Lines 7 and 9 at the Station Tacubaya, Line3 at Balderas, Line8 at Salto del Agua, Line2 at Pino Suárez, Line4 at Candelaria, LineB at San Lázaro and Lines 5, 9and A at Pantitlán. When Line12 extension is completed, it will also connect with Line 12 at Observatorio.

History

The first section of Line 1 was opened on 4 September 1969 as part of Mexico City Metro's first construction stage, it was inaugurated by Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, President of Mexico from 1964 to 1970, and Alfonso Corona del Rosal, Regent of the Federal District Department. The inauguration ceremony took place at the Insurgentes station.
The next day the line was opened to the public. To the original route a new station, Juanacatlán, was added to the west on 11 April 1970, and the first correspondencia became functional on 1 August 1970 when Line2 was opened. The two westernmost stations Tacubaya and current terminal Observatorio were inaugurated on 20 November 1970 and 10 June 1972 respectively.
Station Pantitlán was opened on 22 August 1984 as the eastern terminal during a fourth and final expansion. All twenty stations have operated since then, running a total track length of, of which are passenger track. The1 is the only line in the network that is fully underground except for some surface track in Observatorio used for maintenance.
As of 2020, an extension of Line12 is under construction, this stretch will connect Line12 with Line1 at the Observatorio station.
Authorities warned on 10 August 2020 that Line1 is in danger of a major fire due to an aging electrical system that is in need of major improvements. Lines 1, 2, and 3 report an average of 2.5 electrical failures daily. As a result, the line started undergo renovations that require its closure. The first closure was from Pantitlán to Salto de Agua stations starting on 11 July 2022 and it was expected to conclude in March 2023. The second closure was expected to start in March 2023 from Balderas to Observatorio stations and was expected to conclude in August 2023. During both periods, all railway elements will be replaced with modern material, the wiring will be replaced, damage due to leaks and cracks will be repaired, stations that are not yet modernized will be updated, and accessibility will be added to stations that lack it.
In April 2023, Siemens Mobility claimed that they would install CBTC on Line 1. On October 29, 2023, the modernized section of Line 1 was inaugurated. Salto del Agua and Balderas stations was reopened on September 13, 2024.
The second stage is expected to begin on 9 November 2023.
On November 16, 2025, the Observatorio - Chapultepec section of metro line 1 was reopened, thus completing its full modernization. The modernization, which included CBTC installation, is expected to increase capacity by 15%.

Chronology

  • September 4, 1969: from Chapultepec to Zaragoza.
  • April 11, 1970: from Chapultepec to Juanacatlán.
  • November 20, 1970: from Juanacatlán to Tacubaya.
  • June 10, 1972: from Tacubaya to Observatorio.
  • August 22, 1984: from Zaragoza to Pantitlán.

    Rolling stock

Line 1 has had different types of rolling stock throughout the years.
  • Alstom MP-68, 1969–2018
  • Concarril NM-73, 1978–2018
  • Alstom MP-82, 1985–1994
  • Concarril NM-83, 1989–2018
  • CAF NE-92, 1994–2023
  • Bombardier NC-82, 2006–2007
  • Concarril NM-79, 2011–2012
  • CAF NM-16, since 2019
  • CRRC NM-22, since 2024
Currently, out of the 390 trains in the Mexico City Metro network, 49 are in service in Line1.

Station list

The stations from west to east:

Renamed stations

Ridership

The following table shows each of Line 1 stations total and average daily ridership during 2019.
†Transfer station
‡Terminal
†‡Transfer station and terminal

Tourism

Line 1 passes near several places of interest.
  • Bosque de Chapultepec, city park
  • *Museo de Arte Moderno, museum of modern art
  • *Chapultepec Castle
  • *Heroic Cadets Memorial, a monument dedicated to the memory of the Niños Héroes
  • *Chapultepec Zoo
  • Estela de Luz, a monument that commemorates the bicentenary of Mexico's independence
  • Paseo de la Reforma, emblematic avenue of Mexico City
  • Diana the Huntress Fountain, a monumental fountain of Diana located at Paseo de la Reforma
  • Angel of Independence, a victory column on a roundabout on the major thoroughfare of Paseo de la Reforma
  • Zona Rosa, a neighborhood known for its shopping centers, nightlife, gay community, and Korean community
  • Historic center of Mexico City