Three International Groups Bid to Build Bogota Metro Line 2

Three international groups submitted prequalification applications Sept. 7 to build Bogota’s second metro line, a 15.5-kilometer project that will extend the city’s rail network into Engativa and Suba.

The Metro Company will now review the groups’ legal, financial, and technical credentials. Those that meet the requirements can advance to the bidding stage and submit detailed technical and economic offers. Bogota expects those proposals toward the end of 2026, with the concession scheduled for award in the first quarter of 2027.

The applicants bring together companies from China, Portugal, Mexico, France and Spain. The project has a financing structure shared by the national government and Bogotá, with international financial institutions supporting its preparation and funding.

The financing of Line 2

The national government will cover 70% of the project’s financing, while Bogota will provide the remaining 30%. The city currently puts the total financing at about US$8.766 billion, including US$6.129 billion from the national government and US$2.637 billion from Bogota.

The Inter-American Development Bank has approved a conditional credit line of US$415 million for Line 2. An initial US$50 million operation was signed Dec. 19, 2025, to support the concession contract and project management. The IDB’s project record identifies Colombia as the sovereign guarantor.

The European Investment Bank and CAF have also supported the project’s financial and technical preparation. Bogotá is also working with the World Bank on financing. The public commitments from the national government and the city form the financial framework for the long-term concession.

Three groups remain in the race

APCA Metro Capital L2 consists of Xi’an Metro Colombia S.A.S. and Xi’an Rail Transportation Group Company Ltd. of China. Xi’an Rail Transportation Group is already participating in Bogota’s metro system through the consortium building Line 1.

APCA ML2 Bogotá brings together Mota-Engil Colombia S.A.S., Mota-Engil Engenharia e Construção África S.A., Mota-Engil México S.A.P.I. de C.V. and France’s Spie Batignolles Génie Civil. Mota-Engil is a Portuguese construction and infrastructure group with operations in Europe, Africa and Latin America. Its Colombian work includes transportation infrastructure such as Medellín’s Metro de la 80. Spie Batignolles has experience in civil engineering and transport infrastructure.

The third group, APCA Bogotá Metro Capital, consists of Sacyr Concesiones Colombia Participadas II S.A.S. and CAF Investment Projects of Spain. Sacyr operates in infrastructure and concessions and has transportation experience. CAF develops trains, railway systems and integrated mobility solutions, while CAF Investment Projects focuses on investment activities.

The Sept. 7 submissions are prequalification applications, not final economic or technical bids. The Metro Company must first determine which groups satisfy the requirements before they can compete for the concession.

The planned route of Line 2

Line 2 will run from the area around Calle 72 in northern-central Bogotá to Fontanar del Río in Suba. The 15.5-kilometer route will cross four localities: Chapinero, Barrios Unidos, Engativá and Suba.

The project includes 11 stations: 10 underground and one elevated. The city plans an automated heavy-rail system, with the concession covering construction, railway systems, trains, operation and maintenance.

The line will connect with the TransMilenio network and Line 1, extending rail service into western and northwestern parts of Bogotá. Commercial operation is currently projected for 2035.

The procurement timeline

The current process follows the failure of Bogota’s previous Line 2 tender. The city declared the procurement unsuccessful in January 2026 after the remaining prequalified groups did not submit final offers. Bogotá subsequently redesigned the process and expanded its international outreach before reopening the competition.

The Metro Company will evaluate the three new applications before announcing which groups qualify. Bogotá expects the successful applicants to submit their technical and economic proposals in November and December 2026.

The city plans to award the concession in the first quarter of 2027, followed by the contract and formal start order in the second half of the year. Officials expect construction to last several years before passenger service begins.

Line 1 moves into testing

The Line 2 process is advancing as construction and testing continue on Bogota’s first metro line. Line 1 reached 81.25% overall progress by July 31, according to the Bogota administration.

The city received its 16th train on Aug. 4. The planned fleet consists of 30 six-car trains, and testing has expanded as sections of the viaduct, stations and railway systems become available.

In September, two Line 1 trains traveled simultaneously on the viaduct for the first time during tests of train movements and the systems that will control operations. The exercise did not involve passengers.

Bogotá expects to complete Line 1 construction in September 2027 and begin commercial service in March 2028.

See all the latest news from Colombia and the world at ColombiaOne.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow ColombiaOne on Google News, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and subscribe here to our newsletter.