ES

How to Use the Quito Metro

Travelling on the Quito Metro is fast, safe and cheap. For $0.45 you can cross the city from south to north in 34 minutes. Here is everything you need to know before your first journey: how to get the card, pass through the gates and find your way around the station.

Standard fare
$0.45any journey
Ciudad card
Free+$1 activation
Hours (Mon-Fri)
5:30–23:00weekends from 7:00
Frequency
5–10 mindepending on demand

Step by step: your first journey

  1. Get your Ciudad card. Register for a Ciudad account, request the card free of charge at any station ticket office and activate it with $1, which stays as travel credit.
  2. Top it up. By mobile or web banking, at ticket offices, at station machines or at authorised points. Keep at least $0.45 for a standard journey.
  3. Go through the gate. Tap your card on the reader; the fare is deducted and the gate opens. You can also enter with a QR code or a linked ID card.
  4. Choose the right platform. Signs show the final destination: Quitumbe for southbound, El Labrador for northbound.
  5. Travel and exit. Each carriage shows the next stop. On arrival, follow the exit signs; there is no need to tap out.

Before you travel: the essentials

  • 💳Have enough creditAt least $0.45; the gate will not open without it
  • 🕐Check the hoursMon-Fri from 5:30 AM, weekends from 7:00 AM
  • 🧭Know your directionQuitumbe (south) or El Labrador (north)
  • 🎒Avoid peak hours7-9 AM and 5-7 PM if you carry luggage

Detailed guides

Fares

Prices by passenger type, who qualifies for a reduced fare and how the flat fare works.

Schedule

Opening and closing times each day, train frequency and advice for the last train.

Map

Interactive map of the line, interchange stations and how to find your direction.

Inside the station

Every station has ticket offices, automatic machines for buying and topping up, gates, lifts and escalators, screens showing arrival times, CCTV and security staff.

Signage is bilingual (Spanish and English) and always indicates the direction of travel. All stations are accessible for passengers with reduced mobility.

Rules and luggage

A few basic rules keep the journey comfortable for everyone:

  • Suitcases: allowed. With large luggage it is best to avoid peak hours (7-9 AM and 5-7 PM on weekdays)
  • Bicycles: permitted in the designated carriages at the end of the train, except during peak hours. Several stations have BiciQ docks nearby
  • Food and drink: not allowed inside the premises
  • Priority seats: reserved for elderly passengers, people with disabilities, pregnant women and those travelling with young children
  • Animals: only assistance dogs or pets in an approved carrier

What a journey costs

The fare is flat: you pay the same for one stop as for the full 22.5 km.

Standard
$0.45
Reduced
$0.22
Disability
$0.10

The reduced fare applies to passengers aged 65+ and school students with accreditation. Children under 5 travel free. Full details on the fares page.

Preguntas frecuentes

Do I need a card to travel on the Quito Metro?
Not necessarily. You can pay cash at the station machines, or enter with a QR code or an ID card linked to your Ciudad account. Even so, the Ciudad card is the easiest option and has no issue fee.
How much does a journey cost?
$0.45 at the standard fare, regardless of distance. Reduced fares are $0.22 (65+ and school students) and $0.10 for passengers with disabilities.
How do I know which train to take?
Look at the final destination shown on the platform signs: Quitumbe for southbound, El Labrador for northbound. Signage is bilingual and each carriage announces the next stop.
Can I take luggage or a bicycle?
Yes to both. Bicycles travel in the designated carriages, except during peak hours (7-9 AM and 5-7 PM on weekdays). With large luggage it is best to avoid those times.
Is the metro accessible?
Yes, every station has lifts, ramps, automatic doors and adapted signage, and trains have spaces reserved for wheelchairs.

Keep exploring

Line 1All 15 stations and the routeMapInteractive map of the lineWhat to seeAttractions near each station