La Carolina Station — Quito Metro Line 1
La Carolina Station sits in the financial heart of northern Quito, beside La Carolina park, where Avenidas Eloy Alfaro and de La República meet. It is the twelfth stop on Line 1 heading south to north.
Location and access
La Carolina Station stands at the south-western corner of La Carolina park, where Avenidas Eloy Alfaro and de La República cross, in the middle of Quito's banking and business district. It is one of the busiest stations in the north, surrounded by offices, hotels and shopping centres.
Getting there: on foot from the financial axis of Avenidas Amazonas, Shyris and Naciones Unidas, or by bus along Eloy Alfaro and La República. Note that the park also has a second metro entrance at its northern end: Iñaquito station.
Connections with other transport
- 🚌Metrobús-QNorthern corridors along Avenida América
- 🚌Regular busesRoutes along Eloy Alfaro, La República and Shyris
- 🚲BiciQPublic bike stations beside the park
- 🅿️Carolina 1 car parkAv. Eloy Alfaro and Amazonas, 83 spaces
What to see nearby
La Carolina park
Quito's largest urban park (over 60 hectares): green space, sports pitches, an athletics track and the El Quinde lagoon, where you can hire a boat.
Botanical garden and Vivarium
Inside the park: the Quito botanical garden, the Vivarium reptile house and the natural sciences museum. They sit towards the northern end, closer to Iñaquito station.
Quicentro Shopping
One of the north's landmark shopping centres, a short walk along Avenida Naciones Unidas.
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. It is fully accessible for passengers with reduced mobility.
Opening hours
La Carolina 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 La Carolina
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 La Carolina to key stations:
| Destination | Stops | Approx. time |
|---|---|---|
| El Labrador (northern terminus) | 3 | ~7 min |
| San Francisco (Historic Centre) | 5 | ~12 min |
| Quitumbe (southern terminus) | 11 | ~26 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.