One major piece of pre-Olympic construction opened in Brazil today: the Metro Line 4, a high-speed train that could potentially serve upwards of 300,000 people daily.
Yahoo.com calls Metro Line 4 “the most important infrastructure project linked to the Olympics.” The train system will transport athletes and fans between Olympic park and some of the nation’s other landmarks and important locations.
The Rio Olympic website says the extension of the nation’s train system comprises 16 kilometers of track and 5 train stations, and estimates that more than 300,000 people could use the line each day.
Brazilian president Michel Temer, Rio governor Luiz Fernando Pezao, interim governor Francisco Dornelles and mayor Eduardo Paes were all present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to rio2016.com. IOC president Thomas Bach, 2016 Organizing Committee President Carlos Arthur Nuzman were also in attendance.
Around The Rings reports that the expansion cost just under $3 billion, with most of the funding coming from the state government. It also reports that the opening is the first new metro line for Rio de Janeiro since the 1970s.
Delays have plagued the project, which was originally scheduled to open in 2015. The line now opens just a week out from the start of the Olympics.
Around the Rings reports that Olympic ticket holders will be able to ride the train after buying an “Olympic Card” for $7 a day, $20 for three days or $45 for seven days.