Light rail replaces monorail plan in Salvador, Brazil

In 2018 Salvador (population 2.4M), the capital of the Brazilian state of Bahia, revealed plans for a 24km monorail linking the city to São João and Acesso Norte, to be built under a PPP concession with the consortium led by Chinese company BYD. This was to replace a suburban rail service on the railway. 

 

Work on SkyRail Bahia started in 2021 (resulting in the closure of the suburban rail service) and BYD announced the production of the first monorail train, but last year the project was cancelled over concern at increasing costs that had reached BRR 5.2bn. Residents have been complaining at the loss of their suburban rail service, with extended journey times needed on expensive minibuses. 

 

In its place the Bahia Ministry of Urban Development has decided to tender for the three-line 36km light rail system (VLT Bahia), estimated to cost BRR 3.6bn. A 16.6km line will link the city centre with São João, then there would be a 9.2km branch to Águas Claras. Finally a 10.5km line will link Águas Claras to Bairro da Paz interchange on metro line 2. 

 

Salvador has had a metro since 2014 and line 2 was opened in 2016 bringing the system to 41.8km.