Panama has reached a major milestone in its ambitious Metro Line 3 project: the construction of the country’s first metro tunnel beneath the Panama Canal is well underway. This unprecedented project will connect Panama City with the western suburbs of Arraiján and eventually La Chorrera, dramatically reducing commute times and easing chronic traffic congestion.
The tunnel, which will measure 4.5 kilometers in length and 13.5 meters in diameter, is currently being built 65 meters beneath the bed of the historic interoceanic canal. According to Metro de Panamá project director Carlos Cedeño, approximately one kilometer of the tunnel has already been completed. Specially designed tunnel boring equipment is being used to withstand the high pressures and mixed geological conditions beneath the canal.
“This is a unique project — the depth alone presented challenges that required significant technical adjustments,” said Cedeño during a media tour on Friday.
The larger Metro Line 3 project spans 25 kilometers and will include 14 stations, primarily elevated, except for the section under the canal. Once operational, it is expected to serve about 160,000 passengers daily. Travel time between Panama City and Arraiján, currently as long as two hours during peak periods, will be reduced to just 20 minutes.
The Line 3 project is led by a South Korean consortium, HPH Joint Venture, made up of Hyundai Engineering & Construction, POSCO, and Hyundai Engineering. The tunnel portion, however, is being executed by China’s China Railway Tunnel Group (CRTG), which specializes in complex tunneling projects.
Originally targeted for completion by 2026, the project timeline has been extended, with commercial service now expected to begin by December 2028. Despite a brief labor strike earlier this year that temporarily halted construction, overall progress remains steady, with the project reported to be about 63% complete.
Authorities hope that Metro Line 3 will be a transformative addition to Panama’s transportation network, easing vehicle congestion over the canal’s bridges and improving daily life for thousands of commuters. Officials also see the tunnel as a symbol of Panama’s technological advancement and commitment to modern infrastructure.
The Panama Canal itself, inaugurated in 1914, remains one of the world’s most strategic maritime passages. The addition of a metro tunnel beneath it marks another historic chapter in Panama’s ongoing development.
