The city of São Paulo, which already has Brazil’s largest metro network, is further expanding its rail-based transportation system next week with the inauguration of the long-awaited Linha 6-Laranja.
Built by Spanish group Acciona and operated by concessionaire Linha Uni, the new line will begin operations in Assisted Operation phase, connecting the North Zone to the West Zone through six stations. The initial route will have an approximate duration of 20 minutes.
According to the State Government, the stations João Paulo I, Freguesia do Ó, Santa Marina, Água Branca, SESC-Pompéia, and Perdizes will be open to the public. During this phase, service will operate Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with no fare charges.
In practice, the new line will reduce travel time by more than half compared to the same route by bus. Additionally, passengers will be able to make fare integration with Linha 7-Rubi, operated by TIC Trens, at Água Branca station.
As operations will be conducted on a reduced scale, only the main entrance of each station will be available. Trains and stations will feature visual communication to guide passengers, while circulation will operate in shuttle mode, with two trains sharing the same track in both directions, at average intervals of 19 minutes.
The train sets will operate at up to 30 km/h in manual mode during this initial phase. In the future, operations will be fully automated, following the model adopted by Linha 4-Amarela.
Two new stations still in 2026
After the Assisted Operation period, the forecast is that by December, two additional stations will be inaugurated: Brasilândia and Itaberaba-Hospital Vila Penteado, bringing the total number of operating stations on Linha 6-Laranja to eight.
In 2027, the section between Perdizes and São Joaquim should begin operations, along with Maristela station. With this, the line will offer integration with Linha 1-Azul and Linha 4-Amarela, approaching the configuration planned in the original project.
The only exception may be 14 Bis-Saracura station, whose schedule remains undefined. During a technical visit to the works conducted this Friday (26), ARTESP’s president director André Isper stated that the expectation is to put into operation the section between Brasilândia and São Joaquim in 2027, with at least 14 of the 15 originally planned stations.
14 Bis-Saracura station experienced delays due to licensing issues with historical heritage preservation agencies, following the discovery of archaeological remains during excavation.
“14 Bis doesn’t have a specific schedule, because it was significantly delayed due to a historical-cultural licensing issue. I cannot state a final deadline for this specific station. Perhaps it won’t be inaugurated in 2027”, stated André Isper.
About Linha 6-Laranja
The result of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the São Paulo State Government and concessionaire Linha Uni, Linha 6-Laranja received investments of approximately R$ 19 billion.
The project provides for the connection between the North Zone and the central region of the state capital through 15 stations, also serving part of the West Zone. When fully completed, the expectation is to reduce a displacement that today can take about 1 hour 30 minutes to just 23 minutes.
Among its main characteristics is the depth of some stations, which will be among the deepest in the São Paulo metro system. The solution was necessary due to the line’s route, which crosses river beds, densely urbanized areas, and various crossings with other metro lines.
In parallel, the State Government, Acciona, and Linha Uni are discussing project expansion with the construction of six additional stations. The future expansion’s main objective is to extend Linha 6-Laranja to the Mooca neighborhood, expanding service to the East Zone of the capital.
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