Tehran Metro

The Tehran Metro is a big train system.

It moves many people every day. It is the largest system in its part of the world.

Most of the tracks are under the ground.

Some tracks are also above the ground.

There are many lines for the trains. Some lines are red or blue. Other lines are yellow or green.

Some parts of the train are only for women. This helps them ride with ease. Older people can ride for free.

Workers are building more lines now. One line stays open all day and night. This helps people catch planes at the airport.

The Tehran Metro is a huge train system in Iran.

It is the largest metro in the Middle East. More than 3 million people use it every day. Most of the tracks run underground. Some tracks also run on the surface.

There are six lines that work now. People are also building more lines. By the year 2040, there may be eleven lines. This would mean 330 stations in total.

Tickets cost 5,300 Iranian Toman for one trip. This is about 0.05 US dollars. Using prepaid tickets costs much less. Seniors can ride for free. On every train, some cars are just for women. The first car and half of the second car are for them.

Line 1 is a very important line. It is colored red on maps. It connects to an airport. Because of this, one station stays open 24 hours a day. Line 5 is a commuter rail line. It is colored green. It helps people travel to Karaj.

The Tehran Metro is a huge train system in the capital of Iran.

It is the largest metro system in the Middle East. This network helps millions of people move around the busy city every day. In 2018, people made 820 million trips on these trains. Today, the metro carries more than 3 million passengers every single day. It is a vital way for people to travel to work or school.

The system works using many different lines that run mostly underground.

Some lines also run on the surface or on elevated tracks. Most lines use a standard gauge, which is a specific width for the tracks. To build tunnels under the city, workers use a tunnel boring machine, or TBM. This machine helps pass safely through urban areas without causing the ground to sink. Line 1 is an express subway line that can travel quite fast. It connects the city to the Imam Khomeini International Airport.

Planning for this metro began in the late 1960s.

A French company called SOFRETU won a bid to study the project in 1970. However, work was hard to finish because of the Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War. Construction finally started in northern Tehran in 1978, but it was short-lived. The French company stopped working in Iran in December 1980. In 1985, the Iranian Parliament re-approved the plan to build the metro. This was a continuation of the same project from before the revolution.

There are many important facts about how the metro operates.

There are currently six operational lines and one commuter rail line. The system is owned by the Tehran Urban and Suburban Railway. One ticket costs 5,300 Iranian Toman, which is about 0.05 US dollars. Seniors can travel on the metro for free. On all trains, the first car and half of the second car are reserved for women.

Line 1 is special because one station stays open 24 hours a day.

You can think of the metro as the veins of the city. Just as veins carry blood to different parts of your body, these tracks carry people to different parts of Tehran. The system is growing very fast right now. Workers are building seven more lines to help more people. By the year 2040, the plan is to have eleven lines in total. This would mean the city will have 330 stations for everyone to use.

The Tehran Metro is a massive rapid transit system serving Tehran, the capital of Iran.

It holds the title of the largest metro system in the Middle East. This network is owned and operated by the Tehran Urban and Suburban Railway. Today, the system serves as a vital artery for the city's movement. It carries more than 3 million passengers every single day. In 2018 alone, people made 820 million trips using these trains.

The system relies on several different types of rail lines. Currently, there are six operational metro lines and one commuter rail line. The metro uses a standard gauge, which refers to the specific distance between the rails. Most of the tracks are located underground to navigate the dense city. To build these tunnels, engineers use a tunnel boring machine, or TBM. For Line 6, workers use an earth pressure balanced method with the TBM. This specific technique allows the machine to pass safely through urban areas. It prevents the ground from settling or sinking during the construction process.

Each metro line has its own specific characteristics and routes. Line 1 is a major north-south route and functions as an express subway line. It is the only line in the system that is completely open 24 hours a day. This is to accommodate passengers traveling to and from the Imam Khomeini International Airport. Line 2 runs mostly east-west and connects areas like Sadeghiyeh to Tehran Pars. Line 3 travels from the northeast to the southwest to help reduce city traffic. Line 4 connects the western and eastern parts of the city with 23 stations.

Line 5 serves as a green-colored commuter rail line. It connects the western end of Line 2 at Sadeghiyeh to the Karaj and Golshahr areas.

Line 6 is a pink line that connects the southeast to the northwest. Line 7 also travels from the northwest to the southeast. It was built using modern TBM machines to navigate the city. The system is growing through many different types of expansion projects. Some projects add new stations to existing lines, while others create entirely new routes.

The history of the Tehran Metro is a long and complex journey. Initial plans were first laid out in the late 1960s. In 1970, the Municipality of Tehran announced an international tender for construction. A French company named SOFRETU won the tender and began preliminary studies. In 1974, they proposed a "street-metro" system with an 8-line network. Construction actually began in northern Tehran in 1978. However, the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and the Iran-Iraq War in 1980 stopped the work. SOFRETU ceased its operations in Iran in December 1980.

Work eventually resumed after the project was re-approved in 1985. This was a continuation of the original project designed before the revolution. The Metro Company was established to manage the growing system. During its early years, the company received government concessions for various industries. These included iron ore mines in Bandar Abbas and oil refinery residues from Isfahan. The first line eventually launched between Tehran and Karaj. Since then, the system has seen massive investment, with approximately $2 billion spent on the project.

There are specific rules and social structures within the metro. A single journey costs 5,300 Iranian Toman, which is about 0.05 US dollars. Using prepaid tickets can reduce this cost significantly. Seniors are allowed to travel on the metro for free. To accommodate social customs, certain carriages are reserved for women. On all trains, the first carriage and half of the second carriage are for women only.

Passengers can still ride the other carriages freely. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the metro also required all passengers to wear masks.

The future of the Tehran Metro involves massive expansion. The current network is part of a much larger long-term vision. By the year 2040, the system is planned to have eleven lines. This completed network will include a total of 330 stations. Construction is already underway on several new lines and extensions. These include Line 8, Line 9, and Line 11. There are also extensions planned for Lines 2, 4, 6, and 7.