Metro Link to Tocumen Almost Ready to Open
Technicians have been carrying out trial runs of the new metro link to Tocumen International Airport, which will connect the airport to downtown Panama City and the greater metro system.
Panama Metro says it is conducting the first tests of the trains this month without passengers. The connection is an extension of the 21 km-long Panama Metro Line 2, which starts in San Miguelito, where it connects with the Panama Metro Line 1 station.
While most people arriving and departing from Tocumen International will still opt for the convenient taxis and ride shares for the short drive to Costa del Este and the city, the metro link to the airport will still play a key role as Tocumen develops as the “Hub of the Americas.”
In addition to passengers, the new branch will serve 8,000 workers who travel to the airport every day, and provide a station for ITSE, the Specialised Superior Technical Institute (ITSE) with 5,000 students, as well as the nearby National Institute of Vocational Training (INADEH), schools and local communities.
In a statement, Panama Metro emphasized that a rail link to the airport is something you find in all great cities. It provides an important alternative to cars when getting cars off the roads is an important priority.
“With this work, Panama is positioned at the level of the great cities of the world that have metro systems, facilitating mobility for travelers and allowing them to connect the metropolitan city with the international air terminal quickly and safely,” Panama Metro said.
Last month, Panama Metro announced that work had started on the guideways for the metro’s Line 3, a 25km long monorail with 14 stations, which will run from Albrook to Ciudad del Futuro. The first concrete beams are going up along the Pan-American Highway in San Bernardino.
When completed, the metro will connect all parts of Panama City, including the west side of the Panama Canal. It’s the first metro system of its kind in the region, and, as the Metro release stated, a clear sign that Panama City is entering the ranks of the world’s great capitals.
