Santo Domingo Metro to run six-car trains from August 11, doubling rush-hour capacity

Santo Domingo.- Starting Monday, August 11, the Santo Domingo Metro will begin operating six-car trains on Line 1, marking the latest phase in a system-wide modernization effort, the Office for the Reorganization of Transportation (OPRET) announced. The move, part of upgrades to signaling and telecommunications, aims to relieve chronic overcrowding during peak hours and accommodate a growing ridership.

To fit the longer trains, OPRET engineers have shifted the train stop markers from the center of each platform to its far end, allowing the extra cars to line up safely. Elevated stations such as Villa Mella, which only reopened on July 21 after signal-system overhauls, now feature extended platform markings and updated safety barriers to welcome the new configuration.

Meanwhile, work continues on an internal transfer tunnel at Juan Pablo Duarte station, which will link Lines 1 and 2 without forcing passengers to exit and re-enter through fare gates. While no opening date has been set, the tunnel promises a seamless cross-line connection once complete, further integrating Santo Domingo’s transit network.

These enhancements follow OPRET’s decision to extend Metro and Teleférico operating hours to begin at 5:30 a.m. as of July 31 under the “RD se Mueve” mobility program. Together, longer trains, earlier starts and faster transfers signal a determined push to modernize Dominican public transit and meet the demands of a city on the move.