São Paulo has inaugurated the first section of the Orange Line (Line 6) metro, also known as the University Line, between Brasilândia and Perdizes, during a ceremony held at Santa Marina station. The launch marks the beginning of commercial operations on a line developed through a public-private partnership between the São Paulo State Government and the LinhaUni concessionaire.
The section that has entered service is served by six stations and is expected to transform mobility in the northern part of the city, particularly in the Brasilândia district.
“The inauguration of this section represents a huge gain in people’s quality of life, as it will significantly reduce travel times. But the arrival of the metro also brings many other benefits, including job creation, income generation and an increase in the area’s value, which will move to a new level of development,” said Ricardo Nunes, Mayor of São Paulo.
According to the municipality, assisted operations begin today, 3 July, and include the stations João Paulo I, Freguesia do Ó, Santa Marina, Água Branca, Sesc-Pompéia and Perdizes. For 180 days, passengers will be able to use the new line free of charge from Monday to Friday between 10:00 and 15:00, while operational testing continues under real-life conditions.
A direct link to university hubs
Known as the University Line, the Orange Line will provide direct connections to at least seven higher education institutions in São Paulo, as well as numerous schools located near Paulista Avenue. The new infrastructure will improve access to education and significantly reduce journey times. The line cuts travel time from 90 minutes by bus to just 23 minutes.
It is designed to carry around 633,000 passengers per day and will become one of the city’s main public transport corridors.
University Line, a USD 3.5 billion investment
With an investment of USD 3.5 billion (BRL 19 billion), the Orange Line forms part of the ‘SP nos Trilhos’ programme and, once completed, will connect the Brasilândia district with São Joaquim station in the city centre. The line will be 15 km long with 15 stations and connections to Lines 1-Blue, 4-Yellow and 7-Ruby.
The project has already created more than 11,000 direct jobs and is expected to permanently transform this part of the metropolis, delivering benefits that go far beyond reduced travel times.
“We must never stop building metro lines. We will continue. We will expand the other lines as well. São Paulo and its residents deserve this. Today, a worker spends one and a half hours in traffic, has less time with family and has to wake up earlier. With the new line, they will reach the city centre in 23 minutes,” said São Paulo State Governor Tarcísio de Freitas.
The line is being built by ACCIONA under a public-private partnership with the São Paulo State Government. Once construction is completed, operations will be managed for 19 years by the Linha Universidade concessionaire.
The project has currently reached 83.17% completion. The section between Brasilândia and Perdizes is already 93.85% complete. The Água Branca (98.16%), Santa Marina (95.76%), Perdizes (94.57%) and João Paulo I (93.86%) stations are close to completion.
Following full commissioning, scheduled for 2027, the University Line will create a new axis of urban development for the city, improving access to high-capacity transport, stimulating investment and bringing hundreds of thousands of residents closer to jobs, services and educational opportunities.
Metropolis trains manufactured by Alstom
For this line, Alstom is supplying 22 Metropolis trains manufactured at the company’s plant in Taubaté, in the state of São Paulo. The project has generated 5,000 jobs and involved more than 120 suppliers across Brazil. To date, Alstom has delivered 12 six-car trains out of the total fleet of 22 planned for the line.
Deliveries began in July 2025, and each train has undergone extensive testing to verify performance, reliability and operational safety. The trains have a capacity of up to 2,044 passengers and can operate at speeds of up to 80 km/h. Built from stainless steel, they are lighter, more energy-efficient and designed for a service life of more than 40 years.
The interior layout was developed to provide a high level of comfort and accessibility, based on simulations carried out in Alstom’s Lab 4.0 virtual reality laboratory.
Share on:
