The Bogotá Metro Company (EMB) has announced that seven consortia have submitted bids to prequalify to design, partially finance, construct, operate and maintain the first line of the city's metro system.

The 24km metro line will run on raised track through the so-called Caracas Corridor located in the south-west of Bogotá, where public transport demand is highest. 23 trains, each able to carry 1,800 passengers, will stop at 15 stations along the route and transport roughly 72,000 passengers per hour.

The seven bidding teams are:

1. Consorcio Metro de Bogotá, comprised of FCC Concesiones de Infraestructura, Carso Infraestructura y Construcción and Promotora Del Desarrollo De América Latina
2. APCA METRO CAPITAL: Controlado de Operaciones de Infraestructura, ICA Constructora, Power China International Group Limited, Siemens Project Ventures and Strukton Integrale Projecten
3. China Railway Group Limited
4. Consorcio Sunrise: Acciona Construcción, Impregilo International Infraestructuras, Ansaldo STS and Hitachi Rail Italy
5. APCA TRANSMIMETRO: China Harbour Engineering Company Limited and Xi'An Metro Company Limited
6. Consorcio Linea 1: Obrascon Huarte Laín, Andrade Gutiérrez Engenhaira, Camargo Correa Infra Construcoes and CCR
7. Union Metro Capital: Sacyr Concesiones Colombia, Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles CAF, Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. and STOA

A 25-year contract is scheduled to be awarded to the preferred proponent in September this year. The line is planned to begin operations in 2024.

The total cost of the PPP project is US$4.4 billion, of which US$1.1 billion must be provided by the private partner. The World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have all approved financing for the project.