El Recreo Station — Quito Metro Line 1
El Recreo Station is the fifth stop on Line 1 and one of the main transport hubs in southern Quito. It links directly with the Trolleybus and sits next to El Recreo shopping centre, one of the busiest in the city.
Location and access
El Recreo Station stands on Avenida Pedro Vicente Maldonado, beside the southern terminal of the Trolleybus and next to El Recreo shopping centre. It is one of the main transport interchanges in the south of the city.
Getting there: by Trolleybus to its El Recreo terminal, by regular bus along Avenida Maldonado, or on foot from the Chimbacalle and La Magdalena neighbourhoods and nearby areas.
Connections with other transport
- 🚎TrolleybusEl Recreo terminal, direct interchange
- 🚌Regular busesAvenida Maldonado and nearby roads
- 🚌Feeder busesRoutes serving the southern neighbourhoods
- ♿AccessibilityLifts, ramps and adapted signage
What to see nearby
El Recreo shopping centre
One of the busiest malls in Quito, with shops, cinemas and restaurants, right beside the station.
Chimbacalle
A historic railway district, home to Quito's old train station and its theatre.
Machángara river
The watercourse running through the south of the city, with ongoing projects to restore its banks.
Station services
The station has ticket offices for buying and topping up the Metro Q card, self-service machines, access gates, lifts and escalators for priority passengers, information screens with arrival times, CCTV and security staff. As an interchange with the Trolleybus, it is one of the busiest stations in the south. It is fully accessible.
Opening hours
El Recreo Station operates every day of the year, including public holidays:
- Monday to Friday: 05:30 – 23:00
- Saturdays: 07:00 – 23:00
- Sundays and public holidays: 07:00 – 22:00
- Approximate frequency: every 5–10 minutes depending on demand (more frequent at peak times)
Customer service: 1800 METRO Q (638 767), Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00.
Journey times and fares from El Recreo
The Quito Metro uses a flat fare: you pay the same price regardless of how far you travel on Line 1.
Approximate journey times from El Recreo to key stations:
| Destination | Stops | Approx. time |
|---|---|---|
| Quitumbe (southern terminus) | 4 | ~10 min |
| San Francisco (Historic Centre) | 2 | ~5 min |
| El Labrador (northern terminus) | 10 | ~24 min |
Times estimated from the full end-to-end run (34 min between termini). Check exact times at the station or in the official app.