Biotren

Biotren
Overview
Locale	Greater Concepción
Transit type	Commuter rail / Rapid transit
Number of lines	2
Number of stations	25
Daily ridership	24,500 daily (2019)[1]
Website	http://www.biotren.cl
Operation
Began operation	1 December 1999
Operator(s)	Ferrocarriles del Sur S.A.
Technical
System length	66.6 km (41.4 mi)
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Electrification	3000V DC catenary
System map

Biotren
Service
Rolling stock	UT-440 series RENFE Class 440

The Biotren (

(EFE), Chilean State Railways. Biotren is part of the Plan and Authority of Integrated Transit of Concepción, Biovías.

The system was partially inaugurated on 24 November 2005 in a ceremony that counted with the presence of the then President of Chile, Ricardo Lagos.

History

It began to fully operate in 2006 because during the year 2005 the railroad lines were being upgraded for the new system. The

.

Architecture

Biotren stations or Bio Stations have a totally renewed architecture compared to the former system. The platforms have roofs and access for the handicapped. The fare is paid at the entrance and exit of the stations using a prepayment card called Biovías, with a deferred payment system according to the distance travelled. The card's recharge can be made in any station.

Rolling stock

The Empresa de Los Ferrocarriles del Estado (EFE) invested a total of

US $

16.800.000 for the trains used in the system. The current fleet is composed of eight trains UT-440 Modelo Concepción of three wagons each, bought from the Red Nacional de Ferrocarriles Españoles (Spain State Railways, RENFE). The trains are painted orange and have 321 seats (20 folding seats) and a capacity of 590 passengers.

Lines

Line 1

Line 1: It crosses all Concepción from North to South, from "Mercado" Terminus Station (Port of Talcahuano) to "Hualqui" Terminus Station (Hualqui).

Bio Stations:

Line 2

Line 2: It crosses the Bío-Bío river on the upgraded Puente Ferroviario (

) Bío-Bío, the longest of its kind in Chile. The line starts, from downtown to west side, in the "Concepción" Exchange (or Intermodal) Station (Civic District, Concepción Centro) and ends in the "intermodal coronel" Terminus Station (comuna de Coronel).

Bio Stations:

Exchange System

The Exchange or Intermodal Bio Stations have personal bicycle parking lockers for those who arrive by cycle paths (except for El Arenal) to take the Biotren and synchronization with combination buses called Biobuses.

See also

• List of suburban and commuter rail systems
• Metrotrén

References

External links

• Plan and Authority of Integrated Transit of Concepción, Biovías.
• Subsidiaries of EFE General information about Ferrocarriles Suburbanos de Concepción S.A.