View source for Buenos Aires Underground

{{Short description|Rapid transit railway in Buenos Aires, Argentina}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox Public transit
| name = Buenos Aires Underground
| image = Subte-logo.svg
| imagesize = 100
| image2 = Bolivar de noche.jpg
| caption2 = [[Bolívar (Buenos Aires Underground)|Bolívar]] station
| native_name = {{lang|es|Subterráneo de Buenos Aires}}
| owner = Subterráneos de Buenos Aires S.E. ([[government corporation]])
| locale = [[Buenos Aires]]
| transit_type = [[Rapid transit]]
| lines = 6 heavy rail<br />1 light rail (Line P)
| stations = 90 (108 including Line P)
| ridership = 545,523 (2024)<ref name="CABA">{{cite web |url=https://www.estadisticaciudad.gob.ar/eyc/?p=156866 |title=Pasajeras y pasajeros pagos transportados por línea de subterráneo y premetro. Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Enero de 2010/ marzo de 2025}}</ref>
| annual_ridership = 199,116,074<ref name="CABA">{{cite web |url=https://www.estadisticaciudad.gob.ar/eyc/?p=156866 |title=Pasajeras y pasajeros pagos transportados por línea de subterráneo y premetro. Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Enero de 2010/ marzo de 2025}}</ref>
| website = {{url|http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/subte|City of Buenos Aires}}
| began_operation = {{Start date and age|1913|12|01|df=yes}}
| operator = Emova Movilidad S.A.
| marks = 
| vehicles = 
| system_length = {{convert|56.7|km|mi|abbr=on}} <br />{{cvt|64.1|km|mi}} including Line P
| track_gauge = {{Track gauge|sg|allk=on}}
| el = {{Unbulleted list
  | {{rint|buenosaires|a}}{{hair space}}{{rint|buenosaires|c}}{{hair space}}{{rint|buenosaires|d}}{{hair space}}{{rint|buenosaires|e}}{{hair space}}{{rint|buenosaires|h}}{{hair space}}: {{1,500 V DC|conductor=overhead}}
  | {{rint|buenosaires|b}}{{hair space}}: [[Overhead line]] and [[third rail]], {{550 V DC}}
  | {{rint|buenosaires|p}}{{hair space}}: {{750 V DC|conductor=overhead}}
  }}
| map = [[File:SubteMapa2019.png|250px|center]]
}}
The '''Buenos Aires Underground''' ({{langx|es|Subterráneo de Buenos Aires|links=no}}), locally known as '''Subte''' ({{IPA|es|ˈsuβte|lang}}), is a [[rapid transit]] system that serves the area of the city of [[Buenos Aires]], Argentina. The first section of this network (Plaza de Mayo–Plaza Miserere) opened in 1913, making it the [[List of metro systems#List|13th earliest subway network in the world]] and the first underground railway in [[Latin America]], the [[Southern Hemisphere]], and the [[hispanophone|Spanish-speaking world]], with the [[Madrid Metro]] opening nearly six years later, in 1919. As of 2024, Buenos Aires is the only Argentine city with a metro system.

Currently, the underground network's six lines—[[Line A (Buenos Aires Underground)|A]], [[Line B (Buenos Aires Underground)|B]], [[Line C (Buenos Aires Underground)|C]], [[Line D (Buenos Aires Underground)|D]], [[Line E (Buenos Aires Underground)|E]], and [[Line H (Buenos Aires Underground)|H]]—comprise {{convert|56.7|km|mi|sp=us}} of routes that serve 90 stations. The network is complemented by the {{convert|7.4|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} [[Premetro (Buenos Aires)|Line P]], an 18 station [[premetro]] line. Traffic on subterranean lines [[Left- and right-hand traffic|moves on the left]] because Argentina drove on the left at the time the system opened. Over a million passengers use the network, which also provides connections with the city's extensive [[Rail transport in Argentina#Buenos Aires|commuter rail]] and [[Metrobus (Buenos Aires)|bus rapid transport]] networks.

The network expanded rapidly during the early decades of the 20th century; by 1944, its main routes were completed, with the addition of its newest line occurring as late as 2007. The pace of expansion fell sharply after the [[Second World War]]. In the late 1990s, expansion resumed at a quicker pace, and four new lines were planned for the network. Despite this, the network's expansion has been largely exceeded by the transportation needs of the city and is said to be overcrowded. In 2015, two modernization plans were presented: City of Buenos Aires Law 670,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leyes {{!}} Buenos Aires Ciudad - Gobierno de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires |url=https://buenosaires.gob.ar/leyes |access-date=2025-05-07 |website=buenosaires.gob.ar}}</ref> proposing the creation of 3 new lines (F, G, and I), and the PETERS plan, wherein 2 lines were to be created and the I line would have been postponed for future expansion, plus several other route amendments. However, since 2019, there have been no expansions under construction, for the first time in half a century.<ref>{{cite web|title=Estancado y en crisis, el Subte cumple 107 años|url=https://www.enelsubte.com/noticias/estancado-y-en-crisis-el-subte-cumple-107-anos/|website=enelSubte|access-date=2 March 2021|language=Spanish|date=1 December 2020}}</ref>

The entire network was nationalized in 1939, remaining in state hands and operation until the mid-1990s, when it entered into a [[Concession (contract)|concession]] model. The previously state-operated lines were offered as 20-year concessions to interested private parties; the two complementary lines were also included in this privatization, and all were operated by [[Metrovías]] from 1995 to 2021, though the network and rolling stock remain the property of the City of Buenos Aires.

In December 2021, "Emova Movilidad S.A." took over the concession of the Buenos Aires Underground for 12 years. Emova is also part of the Roggio Group, associated with former operator Metrovías.<ref name=emova1>[https://buenosaires.gob.ar/subte/noticias/subte-partir-de-manana-emova-movilidad-sa-se-hara-cargo-de-la-operacion-y Subte: a partir de mañana Emova Movilidad S.A. se hará cargo de la operación y mantenimiento] on GCBA, 30 Nov 2021</ref>

==History==
The ''Subte'' opened in 1913, becoming the 13th underground system in the world,<ref name="New York Times Burgeoise" /> as well as the first in [[Latin America]], the [[Southern Hemisphere]] and the [[Hispanophone]] world,<ref name="ambito.com">[http://www.ambito.com/noticia.asp?id=718445 Se cumplieron 100 años del primer viaje en subte] – Ambito, 1 December 2013.</ref> followed by the [[Madrid Metro]] in 1919.<ref name="Perfil">[https://web.archive.org/web/20131216034025/http://www.perfil.com/sociedad/La-historia-de-100-aos-del-primer-subte-de-America-del-Sur-20131201-0074.html La historia de 100 años del primer subte de América del Sur] – Perfil, 1 December 2013.</ref><ref>[https://www.metromadrid.es/en/conocenos/quienes_somos/Historia/1919.html Background and Inauguration in 1919 – ''Metro de Madrid'']</ref> The creation of the underground was part of a number of other urban transformations. A system of public water and sewage was first completed in 1886 and expanded in the subsequent decades, and many streets were paved as part of this same urban renewal.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bryce |first1=Benjamin |title=Immigration, Urbanization and Community in Buenos Aires |url=https://bridgetoargentina.com/thisday/immigration-urbanization-buenos-aires/ |website=Bridge to Argentina |date=24 February 2023 |access-date=28 May 2024}}</ref> 

The underground network was originally built and operated by three separate private companies and later nationalized in 1939. In 1952 it was absorbed by a unified state administration, in 1963 it became the property of a newly founded company, which changed hands in 1979.<ref name="Ricardo2015-82">{{cite book|author=Barreiro, Ricardo|title=100 años bajo Buenos Aires. Historia de la Línea A|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C6xwCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA82|date=1 April 2015|publisher=Editorial Dunken|isbn=978-987-02-8141-2|pages=82–}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The Subte then entered into a [[Concession (contract)|concession]] model in the mid-1990s through which private sector parties were to submit bids to execute investment plans "designed and funded" by the state, while implemented by the concessionaire. All the Underground lines, along with the [[Urquiza Line]] and [[Premetro (Buenos Aires)|Premetro]] were offered as 20-year concessions to interested private parties. By 1995, Metrovías took over the Subte under a $395&nbsp;million plan.<ref name="Plant2007">{{cite book|author=Jeremy Plant|title=Handbook of Transportation Policy and Administration|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7yCpC6bf0XsC&pg=PA512|date=22 February 2007|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-4200-1702-1|pages=512–}}</ref>

===Early days===
{{See also|Line A (Buenos Aires Underground)|Trams in Buenos Aires}}
[[File:Le Tellier 1.jpg|thumbnail|left|The ''Le Tellier'' [[aerial tramway]] was an early proposed alternative to the [[Trams in Buenos Aires|existing tramway system]] (1889)]]
[[File:Victorino de la Plaza Inaugura Subte 1913.JPG|thumb|left|Vice president [[Victorino de la Plaza]] opening Line A (1913)]]
[[File:Buenos Aires - Subte - Construcción de estación Sáenz Peña (1912).png|thumb|left|Construction of [[Line A (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line A]] under the [[Avenida de Mayo]] (1912)]]
[[File:Saliendo de Primera Junta.jpg|thumbnail|left|In its early days, Line A continued on above ground (1913).]]
[[File:Diagonal Norte (ca 1936, AGN).jpg|thumb|right|Entrance to [[Diagonal Norte (Buenos Aires Underground)|Diagonal Norte]] station on [[Line C (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line C]] (1936)]]
[[File:Buenos Aires - Subte - Interior coche línea B 1938.jpg|thumb|left|Inside a [[Line B (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line B]] [[Metropolitan Cammell]] car, circa 1938]]
[[File:Sobtetimeline.gif|thumbnail|Evolution of the network from 1913 to 2015.]]
Discussions on the need to build an underground transportation system in Buenos Aires began in the late nineteenth century, alongside the [[Trams in Buenos Aires|tramway system]], which was one of the most extensive in the world at the time. The first trams appeared in 1870, and by about 1900 the system was in a crisis exacerbated by the monopolization of the lines, which had concentrated under the ownership of fewer companies during the [[electrification]] of the system.<ref name="AAT">{{cite web|title=A.A.T. Historia de TRANVÍAS en Ciudad de Buenos Aires y alrededores |url=http://www.tranvia.org.ar/tranvias/ciudaddebsas.htm |website=ASOCIACIÓN AMIGOS DEL TRANVÍA (Archive) |access-date=15 June 2016 |date=28 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728175332/http://www.tranvia.org.ar/tranvias/ciudaddebsas.htm |archive-date=28 July 2013 }}</ref>

In this context, the first proposals for the building of an underground system were made, along with requests for government grants: first, in 1886, and several more in 1889. However, the [[Interior ministry|Ministry of Interior]] (''Ministerio del Interior'', in Spanish) denied the city administration the power to license building in the city's [[subsoil]] and for this reason, subsequent drafts were submitted directly to this ministry.<ref>L. Contreras y N. Tkach (2007), ''Buenos Aires y el Transporte'', p.72, Colección cuadernos educativos, Ministerio de Cultura de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires.</ref> In 1894, when it was decided to construct the [[Argentine National Congress|Congress]] building in its present location, the underground idea was revived, since it would shorten the travel time between the [[Casa Rosada]] and the Congress. In 1896 Miguel Cané, former mayor of Buenos Aires (1892–1893), expressed the need to build an underground railway similar to the one in London<ref name=Tejera >{{cite book |last=Tejera|first= Domingo|title=Subterráneos de Buenos Aires|year=1993|location=(Spanish), p. 11.}}</ref><ref name="ladm">{{cite book|author1=Justo Solsona|author2=Carlos Hunter|title=La Avenida de Mayo: un proyecto inconcluso|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ou9b8wszgMcC&pg=PA254|year=1990|publisher=Nobuko|isbn=978-950-9575-34-9|pages=254–256}}</ref>

There were numerous proposals at the time to build an electric [[aerial tramway]], with one such line to go down the [[Avenida de Mayo]].<ref name="ladm" /><ref name=Singh>{{cite journal|last1=Zunino Singh|first1=Dhan|title=El primer subte de Latinoamérica: una historia cultural de los subterráneos de Buenos Aires y de las tensiones de la modernidad (1886–1944)|url=https://www.academia.edu/5621201|website=www.academia.edu|access-date=18 January 2016}}</ref> One proposal was the 1889 ''Le Tellier'' proposal, which envisioned multiple lines running along the city's wider avenues with the trams [[Cable car (railway)|moved using cables]] and would hang from steel rails fixed to {{convert|6|m|ft|adj=mid|-high}} steel and iron posts positioned in {{convert|10|to|15|m|adj=on}} intervals. The lines would take 24 months to build, and construction would commence 3 months after their approval by the Argentine National Congress, a decision which was ultimately not taken, favoring instead an underground tramway.<ref name=Singh /><ref>{{cite news|title=La historia del fallido "Tramway Elevado"|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/la-historia-del-fallido-tramway-elevado/|access-date=18 January 2016|work=enelSubte.com|date=24 August 2009|language=es-ES}}</ref>

The first Underground line was opened on 1 December 1913 and was built by the [[Anglo-Argentine Tramways Company]] (AATC), which had been given permission to build in 1909. That line was made up of one of the existing sections of [[Line A (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line A]], linking the stations of [[Plaza de Mayo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza de Mayo]] and [[Plaza Miserere (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza Miserere]].<ref>[http://blogs.lanacion.com.ar/historia-argentina/historia/el-primer-subte/ El primer subte] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419212655/http://blogs.lanacion.com.ar/historia-argentina/historia/el-primer-subte/ |date=19 April 2015 }} – La Nacion, 22 December 2010.</ref> 170,000 passengers took part in the line's first trip.<ref name="La Nación pco" /> On 1 April 1914 the line was to expand to [[Río de Janeiro (Buenos Aires Underground)|Río de Janeiro]] station and on 1 July was extended to [[Primera Junta (Buenos Aires Underground)|Primera Junta]] Station.<ref name="La Nación pco" />

In 1912, the [[Federico Lacroze|Lacroze Hermanos company]] won a concession to build another Underground line. The company was a competitor to the Anglo-Argentine company, operating tramways in Buenos Aires as well as the [[Buenos Aires Central Railway]], which later became part of the [[Urquiza Line]].<ref name=Fortner>{{cite book|last1=Fortner|first1=Neal|title=Metro de Buenos Aires : Una Historia Ilustrada de la Construcción de la Línea B, 1928–1932|year=2008|publisher=Lulu.com|isbn=978-0-615-20978-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YE-h9cW-wzoC&pg=PA11|access-date=21 January 2016|language=es}}{{self-published source|date=March 2020}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=February 2020}} Construction began in 1927, and this line became [[Line B (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line B]] when it was inaugurated on 17 October 1930.<ref name="La Nación pco" /><ref name=perfilcom>{{cite news|last1=Darío|first1=Silva D'Andrea|title=La historia de 100 años del primer subte de América del Sur - Perfil.com|url=http://www.perfil.com/sociedad/La-historia-de-100-anos-del-primer-subte-de-America-del-Sur-20131201-0074.html|access-date=23 January 2016|work=Perfil.com|date=1 December 2012|language=es-LA|archive-date=5 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505030345/http://www.perfil.com/sociedad/La-historia-de-100-anos-del-primer-subte-de-America-del-Sur-20131201-0074.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> During 17–18 December, 380,000 passengers travelled on the line's then 32 cars.<ref name="La Nación pco" /> The line was originally intended to continue above ground, with the current [[Federico Lacroze (Buenos Aires Underground)|Federico Lacroze]] station to be the central terminal of the Buenos Aires Central Railway (today the [[General Urquiza Railway]]), however nowadays the overground service forms part of the [[Urquiza Line]] instead.<ref>[http://www.diariopublicable.com/sociedad/3268-un-paseo-por-la-historia-del-subte.html Un paseo por la historia del subte] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419220804/http://www.diariopublicable.com/sociedad/3268-un-paseo-por-la-historia-del-subte.html |date=19 April 2015 }} – Publicable, 22 November 2014.</ref>

By the 1920s, the Argentine government was dissatisfied with the lack of progress the AATC (which enjoyed a near-monopoly on the city's tramways by this point) had made in expanding the rest of the network and thus revoked its right to build any more lines in 1930, seeking instead another company to do so.<ref name=CHADOPyF1>{{cite news|title=La línea de los españoles, 78 años uniendo destinos |url=http://www.enelsubte.com/informes/la-linea-los-espanoles-78-anos-uniendo-destinos-865 |access-date=24 January 2016 |date=2 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502032924/http://www.enelsubte.com/informes/la-linea-los-espanoles-78-anos-uniendo-destinos-865 |archive-date=2 May 2014 }}</ref> By this point, the AATC had only built 48 meters of what is today [[Line C (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line C]], a line which would link two of the city's most important rail terminals ([[Constitución railway station|Constitución]] and [[Retiro railway station|Retiro]]) together.<ref name="INET">{{cite web|title=CHADOPYF|url=http://www.oni.escuelas.edu.ar/2002/gcba/latidos/historia/chadopyf.htm|publisher=INET|access-date=6 February 2016|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304103757/http://www.oni.escuelas.edu.ar/2002/GCBA/latidos/historia/chadopyf.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1933 a third company, the Hispano-Argentina Company of Public Works and Finances (''Compañía Hispano–Argentina de Obras Públicas y Finanzas (CHADOPyF)'', in Spanish) began construction of the other Underground lines.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120520212645/http://www.clico.com.ar/directorio/mapa_de_subte/mapasubte.html Antecedentes, Inicios, Desarrollo de la red y Líneas] (in Spanish - archive). Retrieved 2010-11-03.</ref> Line C's first section, [[Constitución railway station]]-[[Diagonal Norte (Buenos Aires Underground)|Diagonal Norte]], was inaugurated on 9 November 1934 by [[Agustín P. Justo]], then President of Argentina.<ref name="La Nación pco" />

CHADOPyF opened [[Line D (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line D]] in 1937, from [[Catedral (Buenos Aires Underground)|Catedral]] through [[Tribunales (Buenos Aires Underground)|Tribunales]]; with [[Line E (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line E]] following later in 1944, from Constitución to San Juan y Urquiza, later joining with [[Boedo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Boedo station]].<ref name="La Nación pco" /> By this point the advent of the [[Second World War]] had slowed expansion significantly, but the network was {{convert|29|km|mi|abbr=on}} in length with each of the three companies – unusually for an underground network – continuing to run their respective lines, which were financed entirely with private capital, unlike [[rail transport in Argentina|the country's railways]] which had been largely dependent on subsidies.<ref name=INET /><ref name=telford />

===Nationalisation===
[[File:Bolivar Line E.jpg|thumb|left|[[Bolívar (Buenos Aires Underground)|Bolívar]]  station on [[Line E (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line E]] was opened in 1966.]]
{{Multiple image
|align =right
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|width =150
|image1=Subterráneos de Buenos Aires - Antiguo logo.svg
|caption1=Former logo of SBA (1963–1980s)
|image2=Logotipo de Subterráneos de Buenos Aires S.E.svg
|caption2=Current logo of SBASE (1980s-present)
}}
The entire network was centralized and nationalized in 1939 under the management of the Transport Corporation of Buenos Aires (CTCBA) and the lines were given their current lettered naming scheme, from A to D in the order in which the lines were opened.<ref name="AAT" /><ref>{{cite book|last1=Leonel|first1=Contreras|title=Historia cronológica de la ciudad de Buenos Aires 1536–2014|date=1 March 2014|publisher=Editorial Dunken|location=Buenos Aires|isbn=978-987-02-7306-6|page=384|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_DaSBAAAQBAJ|access-date=17 January 2016|language=es}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 1952, the CTCBA was absorbed by the Buenos Aires Transport General Administration (AGTBA), and in 1963, the administration was dissolved and the underground network became the property of the ''Subterráneos de Buenos Aires'' company (SBA).<ref name="Perfil" /><ref name="AAT" />

In the early years of nationalization, interchanges were provided between the lines previously belonging to the three different companies that built them (AATC, CHADOPyF and Lacroze) since previously only the CHADOPyF lines (C, D and E) had formal connections between them. However, the rate of expansion of the network during this period had slowed considerably and only one station was opened during the 1970s.<ref name=telford>{{cite book|title=Rail Mass Transit for Developing Countries: Proceedings of the Conference Organized by the Institution of Civil Engineers, and Held in London on 9–10 October 1989|url=https://archive.org/details/railmasstransitf0000unse|url-access=registration|year=1990|publisher=Thomas Telford|isbn=978-0-7277-1560-9|pages=[https://archive.org/details/railmasstransitf0000unse/page/189 189]–}}</ref>

Four different long-term expansion proposals were put forward between 1964 and 1991 which all proposed adding numerous lines to the network as well as extending the existing ones. Given the political instability characteristic of Argentina during this time, none of these proposals came to fruition, though aspects of them have been incorporated into contemporary expansion plans. One additional proposal put forward in 1973 saw the unification of the city's commuter rail lines through tunnels and incorporated into the Buenos Aires Underground, and while this was also shelved, it was included in the [[Red de Expresos Regionales]] proposal.<ref name="buenosaires.gob.ar">[http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/noticias/el-plan-de-la-ciudad-para-expandir-la-red-de-subtes Plan Estratégico y Técnico para la Expansión de la Red de Subtes de Buenos Aires] – Buenos Aires Ciudad, 30 September 2015.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Idas y vueltas de la línea G [parte I]|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/idas-y-vueltas-de-la-linea-g-parte-i/|access-date=10 January 2016|work=enelSubte.com|date=2 April 2011|language=es-ES}}</ref>

During the 1960s and 70s, efforts were primarily concentrated on Line E, which was re-routed from its terminus at [[Constitución (Line E Buenos Aires Underground)|Constitución]] to the centre of the city at the [[Plaza de Mayo]] in an attempt to boost passenger figures, something which proved to be successful.<ref name=telford /> The segment was opened by president [[Arturo Illia]] in 1966 and [[Spain]] offered [[Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles|CAF]]-General Eléctrica Española trains in order to cancel part of the debt it had accrued with Argentina; trains which continue to serve on the line today.<ref name=buscandopasajeros /> The line was extended westward to [[José María Moreno (Buenos Aires Underground)|José María Moreno]] in a project that began in 1969 and opened in 1973.<ref name=buscandopasajeros />

In 1979, SBA became ''Subterráneos de Buenos Aires Sociedad del Estado'' (SBASE) under Buenos Aires mayor [[Osvaldo Cacciatore]] of the [[National Reorganisation Process]] military junta. After a long period of stagnation, the Underground began to be expanded again with Lines B and E within the scope of these plans, though only the extension of Line E was commenced and completed before the transition to democracy where expansion was once again stalled.<ref name="perfil 100 años">{{cite web|last1=Silva D'Andrea|first1=Darío|title=La historia de 100 años del primer subte de América del Sur|url=http://www.diasdehistoria.com.ar/content/la-historia-de-100-a%C3%B1os-del-primer-subte-de-am%C3%A9rica-del-sur|website=Días de Historia|publisher=Perfil.com|access-date=4 February 2016}}</ref> During this time, four [[Premetro]] feeder lines were planned leading out from the western termini of Lines D and E as well as one in [[Puerto Madero]], however only [[Premetro (Buenos Aires)|Line E2]] was completed in 1987 and these plans were scrapped in 1994 when operation of the Underground changed hands.<ref>{{cite news|title=Premetro a Puente de la Noria, en el olvido por el Metrobus del Sur|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/premetro-puente-la-noria-el-olvido-el-metrobus-del-sur-2781/|access-date=17 January 2016|work=enelSubte.com|date=25 June 2013|language=es-ES}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Premetro a Puente de la Noria, en el olvido por el Metrobus del Sur|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/premetro-puente-la-noria-el-olvido-el-metrobus-del-sur-2781/|access-date=17 January 2016|work=enelSubte.com|date=16 August 2013|language=es-ES}}</ref>

===Privatisation===
{{See also|Metrovías|Railway privatisation in Argentina}}
[[File:Panorama general de Echeverría.jpg|thumbnail|[[Echeverría (Buenos Aires Underground)|Echeverría station]] is one of the most recent additions to the network.]]
In 1994 the operation of the network was [[Railway Privatisation in Argentina|privatized]], along with [[Rail transport in Argentina|the country's railways]], and is now managed by [[Metrovías]]. SBASE (as part of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires) maintained ownership of the network, [[Buenos Aires Underground rolling stock|its rolling stock]], and infrastructure, and administers its expansion and budget. One cosmetic change carried out in the 1990s under private operation was the re-assignation of the colors of the lines, with Lines B and D switching colors, Line C changing from purple to blue and Line E changing from yellow to purple. The change of colors was also accompanied by a standardization of the network's signage to match the new schemes.<ref name=cumple>{{cite news|title=Metrovías cumple 20 años operando el Subte|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/metrovias-cumple-20-anos-operando-el-subte/|access-date=9 January 2016|work=enelSubte.com|date=1 January 2014|language=es-ES}}</ref>

In 2012, the role of Metrovías was lessened to simply operating the lines, while maintenance of infrastructure became the responsibility of SBASE.<ref name=cumple /> The relationship between [[Mauricio Macri]]'s mayoral administration and Metrovías became increasingly strained, with the Government of Buenos Aires issuing multiple fines to the operator.<ref name=cumple /> The relationship was further strained in 2013 when Metrovías' 20-year concession ended and has since been renewed on a year-by-year basis, leaving the door open for a state-run or mixed operation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metrovías en la mira: podrían no renovarle el contrato|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/metrovias-en-la-mira-no-le-renovarian-el-contrato/|access-date=9 January 2016|work=enelSubte.com|issue=19 September 2014|language=es-ES}}</ref> Among the public, privatization has proved unpopular, with a survey carried out in 2015 indicating that 82% of passengers would like the Underground to be operated by the state instead of a private company.<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/el-82-de-los-usuarios-cree-que-el-subte-deberia-ser-estatal/ El 82% de los usuarios cree que el Subte debería ser estatal] – EnElSubte, 26 May 2015.</ref>

In more recent years, [[Line A (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line A]] and [[Line B (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line B]] have been extended westwards, adding a total of 4 stations to each line between 2003 and 2013.<ref>[http://www.noticiasurbanas.com.ar/noticias/dedeb5c1dfe16809704381fc1649d7a8/ Macri inauguró Puán y Carabobo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623050606/http://www.noticiasurbanas.com.ar/noticias/dedeb5c1dfe16809704381fc1649d7a8/ |date=23 June 2015 }} – Noticias Urbanas, 23 December 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.enelsubte.com/noticias/echeverria-y-rosas-inauguradas-2740 Echeverría y Rosas, inauguradas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104031424/http://enelsubte.com/noticias/echeverria-y-rosas-inauguradas-2740/ |date=4 November 2014 }} (Spanish)</ref><ref name="lanacion.com.ar">[http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1542874-el-subte-a-estara-cerrado-desde-el-12-de-enero-al-8-de-marzo La línea A de subte estará cerrada desde el 12 de enero al 8 de marzo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623100705/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1542874-el-subte-a-estara-cerrado-desde-el-12-de-enero-al-8-de-marzo |date=23 June 2015 }} – La Nacion, 4 January 2013.</ref> During the same period, [[Line H (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line H]] was opened 2007,<ref name="La Nación pco" /> making it the first completely new line on the underground since [[Line E (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line E]], excluding the [[Premetro (Buenos Aires)|Premetro]].<ref>[http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/subte/nuestra-historia/linea-h Línea H] – Buenos Aires Ciudad</ref> There have also been significant modernizations of infrastructure, signaling systems, stations and the [[Buenos Aires Underground rolling stock|network's rolling stock]].<ref name=scribd /><ref name="CollectifAuzias2012">{{cite book|author1=Collectif|author2=Dominique Auzias|author3=Jean-Paul Labourdette|title=Buenos Aires 2012–2013 (avec cartes, photos + avis des lecteurs)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sdM8Y-6NkzUC&pg=PA102|date=5 July 2012|publisher=Petit Futé|isbn=978-2-7469-6357-3|pages=102–}}</ref>

The current contract expired on 31 December 2019 with bids put forward by:<ref>TfL Bidding for Buenos Aires Subway ''[[Modern Railways]]'' issue 844 January 2019 page 104</ref><ref>[https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/economy/three-way-battle-opens-up-as-city-hall-eyes-foreign-subte-operator.phtml Three-way battle opens up as City Hall eyes foreign Subte operator] ''Buenos Aires Times'' 16 February 2019</ref>
*[[Keolis]] in partnership with [[Transport for London]] and [[Eduardo Eurnekian]]'s Corporación América
*[[Metrovías]] in partnership with [[Deutsche Bahn]]
*[[RATP Group]]
{|class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable"
|+{{nowrap|Timeline of openings/closures}}
!Date
!Line
!Opening(s)
!Closure
|-
|1913-12-01
|{{rint|buenosaires|a}}
|[[Plaza de Mayo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza de Mayo]] – [[Plaza Miserere (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza Miserere]]
|
|-
|1914-04-01
|{{rint|buenosaires|a}}
|[[Plaza Miserere (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza Miserere]] – [[Río de Janeiro (Buenos Aires Underground)|Río de Janeiro]]
|
|-
|1914-07-01
|{{rint|buenosaires|a}}
|[[Río de Janeiro (Buenos Aires Underground)|Río de Janeiro]] – [[Primera Junta (Buenos Aires Underground)|Primera Junta]]
|
|-
|1930-10-17
|{{rint|buenosaires|b}}
|[[Federico Lacroze (Buenos Aires Underground)|Federico Lacroze]] – [[Callao (Line B Buenos Aires Underground)|Callao]]
|
|-
|1931-07-22
|{{rint|buenosaires|b}}
|[[Callao (Line B Buenos Aires Underground)|Callao]] – [[Carlos Pellegrini (Buenos Aires Underground)|Carlos Pellegrini]]
|
|-
|1931–12
|{{rint|buenosaires|b}}
|[[Carlos Pellegrini (Buenos Aires Underground)|Carlos Pellegrini]] – [[Leandro N. Alem (Buenos Aires Underground)|Leandro N. Alem]]
|
|-
|1934-11-09
|{{rint|buenosaires|c}}
|[[Constitución (Line C Buenos Aires Underground)|Constitución]] – [[Diagonal Norte (Buenos Aires Underground)|Diagonal Norte]]
|
|-
|1936-02-06
|{{rint|buenosaires|c}}
|[[Diagonal Norte (Buenos Aires Underground)|Diagonal Norte]] – [[Retiro (Line C Buenos Aires Underground)|Retiro]]
|
|-
|1937-06-03
|{{rint|buenosaires|d}}
|[[Catedral (Buenos Aires Underground)|Catedral]] – [[Tribunales (Buenos Aires Underground)|Tribunales]]
|
|-
|1940-02-23
|{{rint|buenosaires|d}}
|[[Tribunales (Buenos Aires Underground)|Tribunales]] – [[Palermo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Palermo]]
|
|-
|1944-06-20
|{{rint|buenosaires|e}}
|[[Constitución (Line E Buenos Aires Underground)|Constitución]] – [[General Urquiza (Buenos Aires Underground)|General Urquiza]]
|
|-
|1944-12-16
|{{rint|buenosaires|e}}
|[[General Urquiza (Buenos Aires Underground)|General Urquiza]] – Boedo (old)
|
|-
|1953-08-06
|{{rint|buenosaires|a}}
|
|[[Pasco Sur (Buenos Aires Underground)|Pasco Sur]]<br />[[Alberti Norte (Buenos Aires Underground)|Alberti Norte]]
|-
|1960-12-09
|{{rint|buenosaires|e}}
|[[General Urquiza (Buenos Aires Underground)|General Urquiza]] – [[Boedo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Boedo (current)]]
|[[General Urquiza (Buenos Aires Underground)|General Urquiza]] – Boedo (old)
|-
|1966-04-24
|{{rint|buenosaires|e}}
|[[Boedo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Boedo (current)]] – [[Avenida La Plata (Buenos Aires Underground)|Av. La Plata]]<br />[[San José (Buenos Aires Underground)|San José]] – [[Bolívar (Buenos Aires Underground)|Bolívar]]
|[[San José vieja (Buenos Aires Underground)|San José vieja]]<br />[[Constitución (Line E Buenos Aires Underground)|Constitución]]
|-
|1973-06-23
|{{rint|buenosaires|e}}
|[[Avenida La Plata (Buenos Aires Underground)|Av. La Plata]] – [[José María Moreno (Buenos Aires Underground)|José María Moreno]]
|
|-
|1985-10-07
|{{rint|buenosaires|e}}
|[[José María Moreno (Buenos Aires Underground)|José María Moreno]] – [[Emilio Mitre (Buenos Aires Underground)|Emilio Mitre]]
|
|-
|1985-10-31
|{{rint|buenosaires|e}}
|[[Emilio Mitre (Buenos Aires Underground)|Emilio Mitre]] – [[Medalla Milagrosa (Buenos Aires Underground)|Medalla Milagrosa]]
|
|-
|1985-11-27
|{{rint|buenosaires|e}}
|[[Medalla Milagrosa (Buenos Aires Underground)|Medalla Milagrosa]] – [[Varela (Buenos Aires Underground)|Varela]]
|
|-
|1986-05-08
|{{rint|buenosaires|e}}
|[[Varela (Buenos Aires Underground)|Varela]] – [[Plaza de los Virreyes (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza de los Virreyes]]
|
|-
|1987-04-29
|{{rint|buenosaires|p}}
|[[Intendente Saguier (Buenos Aires Premetro)|Intendente Saguier]] – [[Centro Cívico (Buenos Aires Premetro)|Centro Cívico]]<br />[[Intendente Saguier (Buenos Aires Premetro)|Intendente Saguier]] – [[General Savio (Buenos Aires Premetro)|General Savio]]
|
|-
|1987-12-29
|{{rint|buenosaires|d}}
|[[Palermo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Palermo]] – [[Ministro Carranza (Buenos Aires Underground)|Ministro Carranza]]
|
|-
|1997-05-31
|{{rint|buenosaires|d}}
|[[Ministro Carranza (Buenos Aires Underground)|Ministro Carranza]] – [[José Hernández (Buenos Aires Underground)|José Hernández]]
|
|-
|1999-06-21
|{{rint|buenosaires|d}}
|[[José Hernández (Buenos Aires Underground)|José Hernández]] – [[Juramento (Buenos Aires Underground)|Juramento]]
|
|-
|2000-03-13
|{{rint|buenosaires|p}}
|[[Fátima (Buenos Aires Premetro)|Fátima]]
|
|-
|2000-04-27
|{{rint|buenosaires|d}}
|[[Juramento (Buenos Aires Underground)|Juramento]] – [[Congreso de Tucumán (Buenos Aires Underground)|Congreso de Tucumán]]
|
|-
|2003-08-09
|{{rint|buenosaires|b}}
|[[Federico Lacroze (Buenos Aires Underground)|Federico Lacroze]] – [[Los Incas/Parque Chas (Buenos Aires Underground)|Los Incas/Parque Chas]]
|
|-
|2006-11-07
|{{rint|buenosaires|p}}
|[[Pola (Buenos Aires Premetro)|Pola]]
|
|-
|2007-10-18
|{{rint|buenosaires|h}}
|[[Once (Buenos Aires Underground)|Once]] – [[Caseros (Buenos Aires Underground)|Caseros]]
|
|-
|2008-12-23
|{{rint|buenosaires|a}}
|[[Primera Junta (Buenos Aires Underground)|Primera Junta]] – [[Carabobo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Carabobo]]
|
|-
|2010-12-06
|{{rint|buenosaires|h}}
|[[Once (Buenos Aires Underground)|Once]] – [[Corrientes (Line H Buenos Aires Underground)|Corrientes]]
|
|-
|2011-10-04
|{{rint|buenosaires|h}}
|[[Caseros (Buenos Aires Underground)|Caseros]] – [[Parque Patricios (Buenos Aires Underground)|Parque Patricios]]
|
|-
|2013-05-27
|{{rint|buenosaires|h}}
|[[Parque Patricios (Buenos Aires Underground)|Parque Patricios]] – [[Hospitales (Buenos Aires Underground)|Hospitales]]
|
|-
|2013-07-26
|{{rint|buenosaires|b}}
|[[Los Incas/Parque Chas (Buenos Aires Underground)|Los Incas/Parque Chas]] – [[Juan Manuel de Rosas (Buenos Aires Underground)|Juan Manuel de Rosas]]
|
|-
|2013-09-27
|{{rint|buenosaires|a}}
|[[Carabobo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Carabobo]] – [[San Pedrito (Buenos Aires Underground)|San Pedrito]]
|
|-
|2015-12-18
|{{rint|buenosaires|h}}
|[[Corrientes (Line H Buenos Aires Underground)|Corrientes]] – [[Las Heras (Buenos Aires Underground)|Las Heras]]
|
|-
|2016-07-12
|{{rint|buenosaires|h}}
|[[Santa Fe (Buenos Aires Underground)|Santa Fe]]
|
|-
|2018-05-17
|{{rint|buenosaires|h}}
|[[Las Heras (Buenos Aires Underground)|Las Heras]] – [[Facultad de Derecho (Buenos Aires Underground)|Facultad de Derecho]]
|
|-
|2019-06-03
|{{rint|buenosaires|e}}
|[[Bolivar (Buenos Aires Underground)|Bolivar]] – [[Retiro (Line E Buenos Aires Underground)|Retiro]]
|
|}

==Network and services==

The network comprises six underground lines, labelled "A" to "E" and "H" and which are further identified by different colours, covering a total route length of {{convert|56.7|km|mi|sp=us}} and serving 90 stations. There is also one surface {{convert|7.4|km|mi|sp=us|adj=on}} [[Premetro (Buenos Aires)|Premetro]] "P" line with an additional 17 stations. Daily ridership was approximately 1.11 million in 2015. With the current usage patterns, the entire system is overstretched, and during weekdays overcrowded and with insufficient services. An expansion programme is underway, and it is expected to enlarge the network to {{convert|97|km|mi|sp=us}} in the future.<ref name=railway-technology>{{cite web |url=http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/buenos/ |title=Buenos Aires Metro, Argentina |website=Railway-Technology.com |access-date=2014-12-10}}</ref> Similarly, [[Buenos Aires Underground rolling stock|new rolling stock]] has been incorporated across lines since 2013 to improve capacity and the last of the current orders are set to arrive in 2016 and followed by further orders of new rolling stock, which is expected to increase ridership figures to 1.8&nbsp;million by 2019.<ref name=scribd /> 

Annual ridership in 2019: 321 296 964.<br />Annual ridership in 2020: 73 650 077.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.enelsubte.com/noticias/por-la-pandemia-la-cantidad-de-pasajeros-del-subte-cayo-un-77-en-2020/|title=Por la pandemia, la cantidad de pasajeros del Subte cayó un 77% en 2020|date=8 February 2021}}</ref>

===Fares and operating times===
{{Multiple image
|align =right
|direction=vertical
|width =150
|image1=Cospel.png
|caption1=
|image2=SUBE frente.svg
|caption2=The network historically used [[token coin]]s, but now uses the [[SUBE card]].
}}

Prior to 2024, standard fares cost [[Argentine Peso|AR$]]125 per trip on the Subte, regardless of travelled distance. After 20 trips, the fare is discounted 20%; after 30 trips, 30%, and after 40 trips the fare is discounted 40%. The [[Premetro (Buenos Aires)|Premetro]] has a flat rate of AR$43.75. Fares have been increased multiple times due to devaluation of the Argentine Peso. While tokens have been used in the past, at present riders use [[Contactless smart card|contactless]] cards called [[SUBE card|SUBE]], which are rechargeable with multiple forms of payment. Previously, single or multi-use paper cards with a magnetic strip (called [[Subtepass]]) were used, however, these were phased out of the system in May 2016, opting instead only to use the digital cards, with the exception of some retired, disabled and student cards.<ref name="fares-may-2016">{{cite web|title=Tarifas y medios de pago|url=http://www.metrovias.com.ar/Subterraneos/PageWithAccordion/Conocenos/Tarifas-y-medios-de-pago/3500|website=www.metrovias.com.ar|publisher=Metrovías|access-date=9 May 2016|archive-date=18 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180318054328/http://www.metrovias.com.ar/Subterraneos/PageWithAccordion/Conocenos/Tarifas-y-medios-de-pago/3500|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ya no se podrá viajar en subte sin tarjeta electrónica - Infobae|url=http://www.infobae.com/2016/03/17/1797791-ya-no-se-podra-viajar-subte-tarjeta-electronica|access-date=9 May 2016|work=InfoBAE|date=17 March 2016}}</ref> In 2024, fares were raised to [[Argentine Peso|AR$]]574, an increase of 360%, as part of austerity policies introduced by President [[Javier Milei]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Subway commuters in Buenos Aires see fares spike by 360% as part of austerity campaign in Argentina |url=https://apnews.com/article/argentina-buenos-aires-subway-aa1e5b5534f4d26dbd13a4ed55278aa1 |access-date=18 May 2024 |work=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>

Trains run from 05:00 until 23:00, every 3–4 minutes, for all lines except [[Line H (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line H]] which has a frequency of around 6 minutes.<ref>[http://www.infobae.com/2014/11/24/1610811-subtes-hora-pico-circulan-promedio-tres-trenes-menos-que-hace-14-anos Subtes: en hora pico circulan en promedio tres trenes menos que hace 14 años] – InfoBAE, 24 November 2014.</ref> Under modernisation plans commenced in 2013, service frequencies increased to an average of one train every 2 minutes 20 seconds by 2019.<ref name="scribd" />

Trains originally ran until 01:00 am, but following the privatisation of the service through concession to [[Metrovías]], the company established an earlier closing time of 23:00 in 1994 to carry out works on the lines.  This change was only meant to be temporary, but was never reverted even after the works were completed.<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/presentan-proyecto-el-subte-funcione-la-noche-1246/ Presentan proyecto para que el Subte funcione durante la noche] – EnElSubte, 16 November 2010.</ref> There have been numerous petitions as well as a campaign by the City [[Ombudsman]] to extend services to 1:30 am on weekdays and 3:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays. These proposals have been rejected by Subterráneos de Buenos Aires, which stated in 2015 that the reduced schedule is needed in order to carry out infrastructure modernisation works across all the lines while they are closed.<ref>{{cite news|title=Reúnen firmas para apoyar el proyecto de ampliación del horario del Subte|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/reunen-firmas-para-apoyar-el-proyecto-de-ampliacion-del-horario-del-subte/|access-date=10 January 2016|work=enelSubte.com|date=25 August 2015|language=es-ES}}</ref>

The Subte operations are radio-controlled and monitored remotely from the Metrovías Central Operations Post (PCO in Spanish). There 24 operators have been monitoring four of the six subway lines (lines C and H have separate monitoring) since 2001. As of 2015, last formations arrive at their respective terminals at approximately 11:30 pm, where maintenance and cleaning operations take place until about 4:00 am.<ref name="La Nación pco">{{cite news|last1=Musse|first1=Valeria|title=Los ojos del subte: desde un centro de monitoreo, se evitan accidentes en la red|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1852071-los-ojos-del-subte-desde-un-centro-de-monitoreo-se-evitan-accidentes-en-la-red|website=La Nación|publisher=La Nación|access-date=17 January 2016|archive-date=11 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111023020/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1852071-los-ojos-del-subte-desde-un-centro-de-monitoreo-se-evitan-accidentes-en-la-red|url-status=dead}}</ref>

{| class="sortable wikitable" style="margin: 0 auto; text-align:center;"
|+ style="margin:inherit; text-align:center; padding-bottom:0.25em"|'''Buenos Aires Underground Lines'''<ref name="metrovias">{{cite web |title=Nuestra compañía – ¿Qué hacemos? |trans-title=Our Company – What We Do |url=http://www.metrovias.com.ar/Metrovias/StaticPage/Institucional/Nuestra-compa%C3%B1ia/3400 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716195245/http://www.metrovias.com.ar/Metrovias/StaticPage/Institucional/Nuestra-compa%C3%B1ia/3400 |archive-date=16 July 2015 |access-date=2017-10-16 |publisher=Metrovias |language=es}}</ref>
! Line
! Year of opening
! Last expansion
! Original path
! Current termini
! Length <br />(km)
! Number of <br />stations
! Daily <br />passengers (2018)<ref name="Clarin">{{cite web |url=https://www.clarin.com/ciudades/subte-record-pasajeros-siguen-quejas-servicio-busca-mejorar-obras_0_S1jcmz0Sm.html |title=Subte: con récord de pasajeros, siguen las quejas por el servicio y busca mejorar con más obras |date=13 August 2018 |access-date=2019-03-21}}</ref>
|-
| {{rint|buenosaires|a|size=20}}
| 1913
| 2013
| [[Plaza de Mayo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza de Mayo]] – [[Plaza Miserere (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza Miserere]]
| [[Plaza de Mayo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza de Mayo]] – [[San Pedrito (Buenos Aires Underground)|San Pedrito]]
| 9.8
| 18 (17 per orientation)
| 258,000
|-
| {{rint|buenosaires|b|size=20}}
| 1930
| 2013
| [[Federico Lacroze (Buenos Aires Underground)|Federico Lacroze]] – [[Callao (Line B Buenos Aires Underground)|Callao]]
| [[Leandro N. Alem (Buenos Aires Underground)|L. N. Alem]] – [[Juan Manuel de Rosas (Buenos Aires Underground)|J.M. de Rosas]]
| 11.9
| 17
| 361,000
|-
| {{rint|buenosaires|c|size=20}}
| 1934
| 1936
| [[Constitución (Line C Buenos Aires Underground)|Constitución]] – [[Diagonal Norte (Buenos Aires Underground)|Diagonal Norte]]
| [[Constitución (Line C Buenos Aires Underground)|Constitución]] – [[Retiro (Line C Buenos Aires Underground)|Retiro]]
| 4.5
| 9
| 208,000
|-
| {{rint|buenosaires|d|size=20}}
| 1937
| 2000
| [[Catedral (Buenos Aires Underground)|Catedral]] – [[Tribunales (Buenos Aires Underground)|Tribunales]]
| [[Catedral (Buenos Aires Underground)|Catedral]] – [[Congreso de Tucumán (Buenos Aires Underground)|Congreso de Tucumán]]
| 10.4
| 16
| 328,000
|-
| {{rint|buenosaires|e|size=20}}
| 1944
| 2019
| [[Constitución (Line E Buenos Aires Underground)|Constitución]] – [[General Urquiza (Buenos Aires Underground)|Gral. Urquiza]]
| [[Retiro (Line E Buenos Aires Underground)|Retiro]] – [[Plaza de los Virreyes (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza de los Virreyes]]
| 12
| 18
| 94,000
|-
| {{rint|buenosaires|h|size=20}}
| 2007
| 2018
| [[Once (Buenos Aires Underground)|Once]] – [[Caseros (Buenos Aires Underground)|Caseros]]
| [[Facultad de Derecho (Buenos Aires Underground)|Facultad de Derecho]] – [[Hospitales (Buenos Aires Underground)|Hospitales]]
| 8.8
| 12
| 128,000
|-
|}

=== {{rint|buenosaires|p|size=20}} Premetro===
{{Main|Premetro (Buenos Aires)}}
[[File:Estación General Savio (4) - cropped.JPG|thumbnail|Tram by Argentine company [[Materfer]].]]
The '''PreMetro line E2''' is a {{convert|7.4|km|mi|sp=us|adj=on}} tramway feeding [[Line E (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line E]]. The Premetro line opened in 1987. It carries approximately 2,300 passengers daily and is also run by [[Metrovías]].<ref name="metrovias" /> In 2015, SBASE began making plans to refurbish and rebuild many of the stations, including a brand-new central terminal, as part of a plan to modernise the network, with the intent of increasing the amount of rolling stock in circulation.<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/realizan-contratacion-directa-para-renovar-la-terminal-del-premetro/ Realizan contratación directa para renovar la terminal del Premetro] – EnElSubte, March 2015</ref><ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/el-plan-de-sbase-para-el-premetro/ El plan de SBASE para el Premetro] – EnElSubte, September 2014</ref> By the end of 2015, the [[Intendente Saguier (Buenos Aires Premetro)|Intendente Saguier]] terminal had been refurbished, though other works on the line were delayed.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Musse|first1=Valeria|title=Villa Soldati: reclamo por la demora en las obras del Premetro|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1843073-villa-soldati-reclamo-por-la-demora-en-las-obras-del-premetro|access-date=17 January 2016|work=lanacion.com.ar|date=6 November 2015|archive-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102060039/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1843073-villa-soldati-reclamo-por-la-demora-en-las-obras-del-premetro|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Premetro was originally intended to include a number of feeder lines to the Underground network, including a second one to [[Line E (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line E]] and ones on lines [[Line C (Buenos Aires Underground)|C]] and [[Line D (Buenos Aires Underground)|D]]. The Premetro project was largely abandoned since it occurred in Argentina's transition to democracy from the [[National Reorganization Process|military junta]] and then [[Railway privatisation in Argentina|the privatisation of the railways]], which was a difficult time economically for the country, and only Line E2 was built. New Premetro feeder lines have been proposed in recent years, however, the role of the network has given way to the new [[Metrobus (Buenos Aires)|Metrobus]] network which covers many of the same routes originally intended for the Premetro.<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/la-linea-d-no-llega-puente-saavedra-2693/ ¿Por qué la línea D no llega hasta Puente Saavedra?] – EnElSubte, 25 June 2013.</ref><ref>[http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/subte/nuestra-historia/linea-e Línea E] – Buenos Aires Ciudad.</ref>

=== {{rint|buenosaires|u|size=20}} Urquiza Line ===
{{Main|Urquiza Line}}
[[File:Eidan-en-el-FCU-1 (cropped).jpg|thumbnail|[[Line B (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line B]] rolling stock running aboveground on the [[Urquiza Line]]]]
'''Línea Urquiza''' (in English: Urquiza Line) is a {{convert|26|km|mi|sp=us|adj=on}}<ref name="metrovias"/> suburban electric [[commuter rail]] line originally designed to be part of the Underground system as part of [[Line B (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line B]] and operated by the Underground operator [[Metrovías]]. As a result, it has similar characteristics to Line B, using [[third rail]] electrification and [[standard gauge]] as opposed to the [[broad gauge]] used in the Buenos Aires commuter rail network. It runs from the [[Estación Federico Lacroze|Federico Lacroze terminus]] in the ''[[barrio]]'' of [[Chacarita, Buenos Aires|Chacarita]], to General Lemos terminus, [[Campo de Mayo]] in [[Greater Buenos Aires]]. The line is completely at grade (ground-level) and uses third rail current collection. It operates 20 hours a day, 7 days a week at 8-to-30-minute intervals. The Urquiza Line transported 15&nbsp;million passengers in 2013.<ref name="metrovias" />

Originally the line was planned to run into the centre of Buenos Aires through a long tunnel. But when the tunnel was finally built in 1930, it ended up as [[Line B (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line B]]. The access ramp still exists and is in use today, but for maintenance and storage purposes rather than for passenger services.<ref>[http://www.diariopublicable.com/sociedad/3268-un-paseo-por-la-historia-del-subte.html Un paseo por la historia del subte] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419220804/http://www.diariopublicable.com/sociedad/3268-un-paseo-por-la-historia-del-subte.html |date=19 April 2015 }} – Diario Publicable, 21 November 2014.</ref> The Urquiza Line itself opened in 1948, so suburban passengers travelling on the Underground's Line B have to transfer to the Urquiza Line at Federico Lacroze station, named after [[Federico Lacroze|its builder]], about {{convert|6|km|mi|1|abbr=on}} from the city centre.<ref>{{cite book|title=Estrategía|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fo7fAAAAMAAJ|year=1973|publisher=Instituto Argentino de Estudios Estratégicos y de las Relaciones Internacionales.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Boletín semanal del Ministerio de Economía: síntesis de informaciones y comentarios|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X4pDAAAAYAAJ|year=1980|publisher=Secretaría de Estado de Programación y Coordinación Económica.}}</ref>

== Stations and connections ==
{{See also|List of Buenos Aires Underground stations}}
''Stations are listed from East to West or North to South. Stations in gray have yet to open. Stations in bold are the current termini. Small interchange icons indicate interchanges under construction''
{|
|align=center width=16% valign=top|{{Line A (BA)}}
|align=center width=16% valign=top|{{Line B (BA)}}
|align=center width=16% valign=top|{{Line C (BA)}}
|align=center width=16% valign=top|{{Line D (BA)}}
|}
{|
|align=center width=16% valign=top|{{Line E (BA)}}
|align=center width=16% valign=top|{{Line H (BA)}}
|align=center width=16% valign=top|{{Line P (BA)}}
|}

===Ghost stations===
[[File:AlbertiNorte1.jpg|thumbnail|[[Alberti Norte (Buenos Aires Underground)|Alberti Norte]] station on [[Line A (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line A]], closed in 1953.]]
There are four [[ghost station]]s on the Buenos Aires Underground, two on [[Line A (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line A]] and two on [[Line E (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line E]]. The Line A stations – [[Pasco Sur (Buenos Aires Underground)|Pasco Sur]] and [[Alberti Norte (Buenos Aires Underground)|Alberti Norte]] – were closed in 1953 since stations in that part of the line were grouped very closely together and having fewer stops improved the line's frequency. Pasco Sur remains in very good condition, while Alberti Norte was converted into an [[electrical substation]].<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/las-estaciones-clausuradas-de-la-linea-a/ Las estaciones clausuradas de la línea A] – EnElSubte, 24 April 2014.</ref>

The Line E stations were closed in 1966, after the line was re-routed from [[Constitución railway station]] (where it connected with [[Line C (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line C]]) closer to the centre of the city, leaving the [[San José vieja (Buenos Aires Underground)|San José vieja]] and [[Constitución (Line E Buenos Aires Underground)|Constitución]] stations out of the network, a move which tripled traffic on the line. The two stations have subsequently been used as workshops and storage areas.<ref name=buscandopasajeros>{{cite news|title=Línea E: 70 años buscando pasajeros|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/linea-e-70-anos-buscando-pasajeros-3243/|access-date=19 January 2016|work=enelSubte.com|date=20 June 2014|language=es-ES}}</ref>

At one point it was considered that the two former Line E stations and tunnels should be used for [[Line F (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line F]] since the line's southern terminus would be there and that part of the route would be roughly similar to the old Line E. However, it was eventually decided that the line should use new tunnels in that section due to its sharp curves.<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/realizaran-estudios-constitucion-ubicar-la-cabecera-la-linea-f-1478/ Realizarán estudios en Constitución para ubicar la cabecera de la línea F] – EnElSubte, 1 August 2011.</ref>

== Expansion plans ==
There have been several plans to expand the Underground system. The Underground's routes are said to spread out like "branches of a tree" from the [[Plaza de Mayo]], something [[Miguel Delibes]] described as "restrictive".<ref name="Wilson2007" /> Current expansion efforts seek to not necessarily go through Plaza de Mayo by creating more north–south lines and moving termini away from the city centre.<ref name="railway-technology"/> An expansion plan was approved in the year 2000 under Law 670 and has seen the creation of [[Line H (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line H]], as well as the extensions of [[Line A (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line A]] and [[Line B (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line B]] westwards.  In 2015, an alternative plan has been proposed which would make numerous amendments to the Law 670 plan.<ref name=peters/>  As of 2024, no new stations have been added to the network since 2019, and both the 2000 and 2015 expansion plans remain incomplete.

=== Expansions in the 2010s ===
[[File:Trabajos en los tuneles 0.jpg|thumb|left|New [[Line H (Buenos Aires Underground)|line H]] and extensions to other lines are under construction.]]
{{rint|buenosaires|h|size=15}} [[Line H (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line H]]'s extensions to the north from Corrientes to Plaza Francia, serving intermediate stations at Córdoba, Santa Fe and Las Heras, and south from [[Hospitales (Buenos Aires Underground)|Hospitales]] with stations at Nueva Pompeya and Sáenz, were initiated with ground-breaking ceremonies on 17 January 2012.<ref name="railwaygazette.com">{{cite journal |url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/line-h-extends-north-and-south.html |title=Buenos Aires Line H extension groundbreaking |journal=[[Railway Gazette International]] |date=19 February 2012 |access-date=2014-12-10 |archive-date=25 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425161826/http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/line-h-extends-north-and-south.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Since then, following concerns that the construction of Plaza Francia station would damage the natural beauty of the area surrounding the [[Recoleta Cemetery]], the station was relocated to [[Facultad de Derecho (Buenos Aires Underground)|Facultad de Derecho]] next to the [[University of Buenos Aires]]'s faculty of law, with the change delaying the opening of the station until 2018.<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/comienza-la-construccion-de-facultad-de-derecho/  Comienza la construcción de Facultad de Derecho] – EnElSubte, 29 September 2014.</ref> Cordoba and Las Heras were opened in December 2015, while Santa Fe opened in mid-2016, providing the line with a connection to Line D.<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/nuevos-retrasos-en-la-extension-de-la-linea-h/ Nuevos retrasos en la extensión de la línea H] – EnElSubte, 6 February 2015.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Buenos Aires Line H extended|url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/news/cs-america/single-view/view/buenos-aires-line-h-extended.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223103840/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/news/cs-america/single-view/view/buenos-aires-line-h-extended.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 February 2016|access-date=9 January 2016|work=Railway Gazette|date=18 December 2015}}</ref> The 20 new [[Alstom]] trains to serve the expected increase in passenger numbers as a result of the connection with [[Line D (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line D]] began arriving in the country in 2015.<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/asi-son-los-nuevos-trenes-alstom-para-la-linea-h/ Así son los nuevos trenes Alstom para la línea H] – EnElSubte, 25 March 2015.</ref>

{{clear left}}

=== Planned lines ===
[[File:Subtes-2015.svg|thumb|275px|The future network as outlined in Law 670]]
The future expansion outlined in Law 670 would see the addition of three new lines (F, G, and I). 

{{rint|buenosaires|f|size=15}} [[Line F (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line F]] will run from Barracas to [[Plaza Italia, Buenos Aires|Plaza Italia]] in [[Palermo, Buenos Aires|Palermo]] and will include 16 new stations. The planned route length of this line is 10.8 km. Construction was due to begin in 2020, once the northern extension of [[Line H (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line H]] is complete, and as originally planned, the line would have automatic trains and [[platform screen doors]].<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/confirman-proyecto-para-desviar-la-linea-f-a-facultad-de-derecho/ Confirman proyecto para desviar la línea F a Facultad de Derecho] – EnElSubte, 25 November 2014.</ref>

{{rint|buenosaires|g|size=15}} [[Line G (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line G]] will connect [[Retiro, Buenos Aires|Retiro]] and [[Caballito, Buenos Aires|Caballito]]/[[Villa Crespo]]; 12.5 km long with 15 new stations.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/urban-rail-news-in-brief-12.html |title=Urban rail news in brief |journal=[[Railway Gazette International]] |date=12 May 2011 |access-date=2014-12-10 |archive-date=17 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617113146/http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/urban-rail-news-in-brief-12.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Originally, construction was due to start in 2012–2013, however city legislators opposed the [[turnkey]] construction proposed by Chinese firms since the total cost would have been 30% higher than if it was done with local companies.<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/cancelaron-las-negociaciones-los-chinos-la-linea-g-1733/ Cancelaron las negociaciones con los chinos por la línea G] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518105805/http://enelsubte.com/noticias/cancelaron-las-negociaciones-los-chinos-la-linea-g-1733/ |date=18 May 2015 }} – 24 January 2012</ref> 

{{rint|buenosaires|i|size=15}} [[Line I (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line I]] will run from [[Parque Chacabuco]] to [[Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires|Ciudad Universitaria]] with 18 new stations. The route length is 12.6 km. The future of this line (which had the lowest priority in the expansion plans) is currently uncertain since it has been proposed that a [[Metrobus (Buenos Aires)|Metrobus]] line be built instead, which would follow the same trajectory as the line.<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/bodart-el-metrobus-como-reemplazo-de-la-linea-i-es-una-estafa-transversal/ Bodart: El Metrobús como reemplazo de la línea I es "una estafa transversal"] – EnElSubte, 16 April 2015.</ref>

===PETERS plan===
[[File:Subte-Peters-3.svg|thumbnail|The PETERS 3 layout was the one recommended in the study.]]
In October 2015, the city of Buenos Aires together with the [[Inter-American Development Bank]] presented a 150-page plan for the Underground called the Strategic and Technical Plan for the Expansion of the Subterranean Network (''Plan Estratégico y Técnico para la Expansión de la Red de Subtes'', or PETERS), highlighting past expansion efforts and the need to adapt plans to the current needs of the city.<ref name="buenosaires.gob.ar"/> In this version of the Underground, [[Line I (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line I]] is cancelled while [[Line G (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line G]] takes a different route through the center of the city terminating at [[Constitucion railway station]] after going through the neighborhood of [[San Telmo, Buenos Aires|San Telmo]], rather than through [[Retiro railway station]]. Other changes include a ''Retiro Norte'' node where lines F and H terminate, rather than at [[Plaza Italia, Buenos Aires|Plaza Italia]] and Retiro respectively, while [[Line E (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line E]] is extended to Plaza Italia from Retiro – a segment which in the original plan was part of Line F. In these plans, [[Line C (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line C]] is extended both northwards in a loop to [[Retiro bus station]] and southwards to the [[Buenos Aires Belgrano Sur Line railway station]] minor terminal.<ref name=peters>[http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/sites/gcaba/files/libro_peters_2015.pdf Peters plan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007153356/http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/sites/gcaba/files/libro_peters_2015.pdf |date=7 October 2015 }} – City of Buenos Aires</ref>

Such plans are subject to approval by the [[Buenos Aires City Legislature]] and would mean the annulment of many of the existing expansion plans outlined in Law 670. Some criticisms include the failure of the PETERS plan to account for the extension of the [[Belgrano Sur Line]] to [[Constitucion railway station]], meaning that Line C's extension to the minor Buenos Aires terminal would be redundant, and that the Retiro Norte node would also be made redundant by the planned [[Red de Expresos Regionales]] commuter rail tunnels which are to link the three major railway terminals of the city.<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/luces-y-sombras-del-peters/ Luces y sombras del PETERS] – EnElSubte, 6 October 2015.</ref>

==Modernization of existing lines==

Much of the modernization in recent years has centered around [[Buenos Aires Underground rolling stock|the Underground's rolling stock]], with large scale renewals and refurbishments of existing fleets, in particular on Lines A and H. Along with this came the construction of new underground workshops and storage areas on lines A, H and E, as well as the expansion of the existing facilities on Lines B and D.<ref name=GrandesObras>[http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/noticias/grandes-obras-del-subte-que-no-percibis-simple-vista Grandes obras del subte que no percibís a simple vista] – Buenos Aires Ciudad, 18 September 2015.</ref>

In September 2015, the president of SBASE highlighted plans for the 2015–2019 period for the Underground at a conference with other South American mass transit operators in Brazil. One of the largest changes to be made during this period was the upgrading of signaling systems on all lines, with the exception of [[Line E (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line E]]. Lines A and B were to receive [[Automatic Train Operation]] systems, replacing their [[Automatic Train Stop|ATS]] and [[Automatic Train Protection|ATP]] systems respectively, whilst lines C, D and H were to receive [[Communications Based Train Control]] systems. The implementation of these systems was already under way on Lines C and H as of September 2015, and was due to be completed on other lines before 2019.<ref name=scribd>[https://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/280786246?access_key=key-QjMpWeIgIaIPKz8sIyZ8&allow_share=true&escape=false&view_mode=scroll  Plan de modernización del Subterráneo de Buenos Aires] – Buenos Aires Ciudad</ref><ref name=PlanModernizacion>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/piccardo-presento-en-brasil-el-plan-de-modernizacion-del-subte/ Piccardo presentó en Brasil el Plan de Modernización del Subte] – EnElSubte, 18 September 2015.</ref> Line D was also to receive [[platform screen doors]] along with the CBTC system.<ref>{{cite news|title=Licitan nuevo señalamiento para la línea D|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/licitan-nuevo-senalamiento-para-la-linea-d/|access-date=7 July 2016|work=EnElSubte|date=22 June 2016|language=es-ES}}</ref>

Other works to be carried out during this period include the improvement of disabled access in older stations, new ventilation systems on lines B, C and D, improvements in electrification (such as replacing overhead lines and substations) on lines A, B, C and D and the replacement of 14 km of track on Lines C and E. The total investment in this period for these new projects was set at US$1.34 billion.<ref name=scribd /><ref name=GrandesObras /><ref name=PlanModernizacion />

===Stations===
[[File:Plaza Italia station.jpg|thumbnail|A "digital space" at [[Plaza Italia (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza Italia station]], which also features the new matte signs.]]
Starting in 2007, the network's stations began to receive technological updates ranging from [[Wi-Fi]] to interactive terminals. Through ''BA-WIFI'' (the citywide free internet service), passengers can use internet free of charge across all stations and aboard trains, though this has been delayed on [[Line A (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line A]] due to complications surrounding the line's age. There are also several "digital spaces" across the network and in its commercial galleries where seating areas are provided, along with recharging stations for mobile devices.<ref>{{cite news|title=Inauguran zonas con Wi-Fi gratis en el subte porteño|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1790116-inauguran-zonas-especiales-en-las-estaciones-de-subte-con-wi-fi-gratis|access-date=7 January 2016|work=lanacion.com.ar|date=7 January 2016|archive-date=24 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151024070249/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1790116-inauguran-zonas-especiales-en-las-estaciones-de-subte-con-wi-fi-gratis|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Sumamos nuevas tecnologías para modernizar el subte|url=http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/noticias/sumamos-nuevas-tecnologias-para-modernizar-el-subte|access-date=7 January 2016|work=Buenos Aires Ciudad – Gobierno de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires}}</ref>

There has also been widespread cosmetic changes to stations, including the restoration of historical murals, the incorporation of new artwork and improving the lighting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Con nuevos murales intervienen las estaciones de la línea B se subte|url=http://www.clarin.com/capital_federal/subte-arte-murales_0_1183682062.html|access-date=7 January 2016|work=Clarin.com}}</ref> The renovations on [[Line B (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line B]] have been met with criticism for destroying parts of the line's historic heritage, which dates back to the 1930s.<ref name=patrimoniob>{{cite news|title=El patrimonio de la línea B, en su peor momento|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/el-patrimonio-de-la-linea-b-en-su-peor-momento/|access-date=7 January 2016|work=enelSubte.com|language=es-ES}}</ref> The appearance of the network's signs has also been changed and the new signs have been gradually replacing the old ones since November 2014.<ref>{{cite news|title=Plaza Italia estrena la nueva señalética del Subte|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/plaza-italia-estrena-la-nueva-senaletica-del-subte/|work=enelSubte.com|language=es-ES}}</ref>

==Rolling stock==
{{Multiple image
|align =left
|direction=vertical
|width=300
|image1=Series 300 2.jpg
|caption1=The [[Siemens-Schuckert Orenstein & Koppel]] stock was replaced by the [[Buenos Aires Underground 300 Series|300 Series]].
|image2=CAF-6000-14.jpg
|caption2=[[Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles|CAF]] 6000 trains were one of the second hand purchases.
}}
{{Main|Buenos Aires Underground rolling stock}}
The Buenos Aires Underground has had among the longest serving and most varied rolling stock in the world, in part due to the network having been originally built and operated by three different companies in its early years, causing incompatibilities between the lines.<ref name="ferrofilatelia">{{cite news|title=Ferrofilatelia|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/ferrofilatelismo-1086/|access-date=6 June 2016|work=enelSubte.com|date=6 July 2010|language=es-ES}}</ref> The network began with uniform rolling stock, with the [[Anglo-Argentine Tramways Company]] Anglo-Argentine [[Line A (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line A]] using [[La Brugeoise cars (Buenos Aires Underground)|La Brugeoise cars]] (with the exception of a few [[UEC Preston]] cars), the three CHADOPyF lines (C, D and E) using [[Siemens-Schuckert Orenstein & Koppel]] stock and [[Federico Lacroze|Lacroze's]] [[Line B (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line B]] using [[Metro-Cammell]] cars. However, as the lines were expanded and passenger numbers increased, more rolling stock was needed, which made the network less uniform, particularly with regard to the problematic Line B, which used a different electrification system and measurements from the other lines. Line B also became the first line of the network to receive second-hand rolling stock in 1995.<ref name="mitsubishi">{{cite news|title=¿Final de carrera para los Mitsubishi?|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/final-carrera-los-mitsubishi-3139/|access-date=6 June 2016|work=enelSubte.com|date=12 April 2014|language=es-ES}}</ref>

===2010s fleet upgrades===
Since then there have been moves towards greater modernization and standardization, with large purchases of new rolling stock from companies such as [[Alstom]] and [[China CNR Corporation]], as well as smaller orders of second hand rolling stock, which the government of the City of Buenos Aires claims are temporary measures while those lines are modernized to be able to incorporate more modern rolling stock. Such stock has been acquired from Tokyo, Nagoya, and Madrid. From 2013 to 2019, 468 new cars arrived while 232 received refurbishment, bringing the average age of the fleet to 22 years in 2016, down from 34 in 2014.<ref name="scribd" />

The network's oldest cars – the [[La Brugeoise cars (Buenos Aires Underground)|La Brugeoise cars]] – were retired in 2013, while its historically most widely used cars – the [[Siemens-Schuckert Orenstein & Koppel]] cars – were to be retired in 2015, though this was pushed back to June 2016 following delays on the opening of [[Santa Fe - Carlos Jáuregui (Buenos Aires Underground)|Santa Fe station]] on [[Line H (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line H]].<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/aprueban-proteccion-todos-los-coches-la-brugeoise-2990/ Aprueban protección para todos los coches La Brugeoise] – EnElSubte, 6 December 2013.</ref><ref>[http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1822730-llegaron-al-pais-seis-coches-nuevos-con-aire-acondicionado-para-la-linea-h Llegaron al país seis coches nuevos con aire acondicionado para la línea H] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150829225812/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1822730-llegaron-al-pais-seis-coches-nuevos-con-aire-acondicionado-para-la-linea-h |date=29 August 2015 }} – La Nacion, 27 August 2015.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=La estación Santa Fe abrirá a fin de mes, aunque sin combinar con la línea D|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/la-estacion-santa-fe-abrira-a-fin-de-mes-aunque-sin-combinar-con-la-linea-d/|access-date=14 June 2016|work=enelSubte.com|date=6 June 2016|language=es-ES}}</ref> While there has been much movement of rolling stock, often in a "hand-me-down" manner from higher frequency lines to less used lines (the primary recipient being [[Line E (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line E]]), the transition to newer models has gone fairly smoothly, despite shortfalls in some lines following extensions. The [[Fiat-Materfer (Buenos Aires Underground)|Fiat-Materfer cars]] have been the primary stand-ins while the new trains arrive, though this role has also been filled by the Siemens-Schuckert Orenstein & Koppel cars, delaying their retirement.<ref name=ferrofilatelia /><ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/metrovias-oficializa-quita-formaciones-2666/ Metrovías oficializa quita de formaciones] – EnElSubte, 4 June 2013.</ref><ref>[http://www.infobae.com/2013/01/29/693730-subtes-el-gobierno-porteno-planea-renovar-la-mitad-la-flota-el-2015 Subtes: el gobierno porteño planea renovar la mitad de la flota para el 2015] – InfoBAE, 23 January 2013</ref>

Though [[Line A (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line A]] ran on a different voltage to the rest of the network, it was converted to the 1500 V used on the rest of the network when the [[Buenos Aires Underground 200 Series|200 Series]] trains began to arrive.<ref name="lanacion.com.ar"/> On the other hand, [[Line B (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line B]] has traditionally been the most troublesome of the network given its different voltage and the fact that it uses [[third rail]] electrification as opposed to the [[overhead line]]s used on the rest of the network, making it in effect a separate entity not capable of sharing its stock with other lines. Presently this line uses 1950s rolling stock acquired from Tokyo's Eidan 300/400/500/900 series [[Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line|Marunouchi Line]], along with [[Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles|CAF]] 5000 and CAF 6000 stock acquired from Madrid which are to replace the aging Eidan stock.<ref>[http://www.perfil.com/politica/Denuncia-contra-la-compra-de-nuevos-coches-para-los-subtes-20140720-0014.html Denuncia contra la compra de nuevos coches para los subtes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924130828/http://www.perfil.com/politica/Denuncia-contra-la-compra-de-nuevos-coches-para-los-subtes-20140720-0014.html |date=24 September 2015 }} – Perfil, 20 July 2014.</ref> The line, along with its remaining third rail stock, is being converted to overhead lines at 1500 V, after which the entire network will be standardized.<ref>{{cite news|title=Adaptarían los Mitsubishi a pantógrafo para eliminar el tercer riel|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/adaptarian-los-mitsubishi-pantografo-eliminar-el-tercer-riel-3169/|access-date=6 June 2016|work=enelSubte.com|language=es-ES}}</ref>

==Culture and heritage==

The Buenos Aires Underground has historically been characterized by murals and other artistic works in its stations, making it a kind of museum throughout the system. These works, and a number of complete stations, are considered part of the cultural heritage of the city and several of them were declared National Historic Landmarks in 1997.<ref>[http://infoleg.gov.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/40000-44999/43370/norma.htm Historical National Monuments] (Spanish)</ref>

===National patrimony===

[[File:Tallerpolverin4.jpg|thumbnail|A [[UEC Preston]] car inside the [[Polvorín Workshop]]. These were used from 1913 to 1977.<ref>{{cite news|title=Los viejos vagones del subte A realizarán viajes turísticos|url=http://www.infobae.com/2013/09/03/1506130-los-viejos-vagones-del-subte-realizaran-viajes-turisticos|access-date=5 February 2016|work=InfoBAE|date=3 September 2013}}</ref>]]
[[Line A (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line A]] is renowned for having kept its original 1913 [[rolling stock]] running on the line up until 2013, making them the oldest underground carriages in commercial service in the world at the time. They were built by [[La Brugeoise et Nicaise et Delcuve|La Brugeoise, et Nicaise et Delcuve]], a Belgian rolling stock manufacturer established in the city of [[Bruges]], between 1913 and 1919. Entirely made of wood, they were originally designed to run as underground as well as tramway cars, but they were adapted in 1927 to their current style for underground service only.<ref name="New York Times Burgeoise">{{cite web|last1=SCHMALL|first1=EMILY|title=An Argentine Tradition Threatens to Crumble With City Architecture|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/16/world/americas/buenos-aires-historic-heritage-slips-away.html|website=The New York Times|date=15 April 2013}}</ref><ref name="USA Today">{{cite web|last1=Winter|first1=Michael|title=Buenos Aires retires wooden subway cars, world's oldest|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/01/02/buenos-aires-100-year-old-wooden-subway-cars-retired/1805481/|website=USA Today|access-date=16 January 2016}}</ref><ref>[http://www.busarg.com.ar/subte_a.htm BusARG.ar] (Spanish)</ref>

[[File:Refurbishedbrugeoise.jpg|thumb|left|Refurbishment of [[La Brugeoise cars (Buenos Aires Underground)|La Brugeoise cars]] for public display began in 2013.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Giambartolomei|first1=Mauricio|title=La historia vuelve a rodar: restauran los viejos vagones de la línea A de subtes|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1632817-la-historia-vuelve-a-rodar-restauran-los-viejos-vagones-de-la-linea-a-de-subtes|access-date=3 February 2016|work=La Nacion|date=27 October 2013}}</ref>]]

In March 2013, La Brugeoise subway carriages were replaced by new Chinese [[Buenos Aires Underground 200 Series|200 Series rolling stock]], just 11 months prior to their 100th anniversary on the line.<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/preadjudican-105-coches-cnr-la-linea-2641/  Preadjudican 105 coches a CNR para la línea A] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117031003/http://enelsubte.com/noticias/preadjudican-105-coches-cnr-la-linea-2641/ |date=17 November 2015 }} – EnElSubte, May 2013</ref> The original rolling stock has since been maintained, some in exhibition and some being converted to 1500 V to run tourist services on the line.<ref>[http://enelsubte.com/noticias/realizan-pruebas-brugeoise-reconvertidos-1500v-la-linea-3263/ Realizan pruebas con Brugeoise reconvertidos a 1500 V en la línea A] – EnElSubte, July 2014</ref> During the festivities of the 100th anniversary of the underground on 1 December 2013, many restored [[La Brugeoise cars (Buenos Aires Underground)|La Brugeoise trains]] circulated Line A and there was a symphonic orchestra at [[Plaza de Mayo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza de Mayo]] station as well as free rides for the entire city in order to mark the event.<ref>[http://www.infobae.com/2013/12/01/1527658-el-subte-porteno-celebra-hoy-sus-100-anos El subte porteño celebra hoy sus 100 años] – InfoBAE, 1 December 2013.</ref> Throughout the week that followed, there were also numerous displays and events across the different lines of the Underground.<ref name="ambito.com"/>  As of 2017, there were plans to preserve and run some of the cars a few times each year for special events.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/noticias/conoce-como-fue-el-paseo-historico-en-los-coches-belgas-en-la-linea| title=Conocé cómo fue el paseo histórico en los coches belgas en la Línea A| author=GCBA| date=5 September 2017| language=Spanish| accessdate=6 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/y-un-dia-volvieron-las-brujas/| title=Y un día volvieron las Brujas| website=enElSubte| date=4 September 2017| language=Spanish| accessdate=6 September 2017}}</ref>

Currently, the [[Polvorín Workshop]] – originally inaugurated along with Line A – is being transformed into a museum to display artefacts and the [[Buenos Aires Underground rolling stock|former rolling stock]] of the Underground.<ref>[http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/noticias/participamos-en-la-noche-de-los-museos-con-el-taller-polvorin Participamos en La Noche de los Museos con el Taller Polvorín] – Buenos Aires Ciudad, 30 October 2015.</ref><ref name="Ricardo2015-79">{{cite book|last=Barreiro|first=Ricardo|title=100 años bajo Buenos Aires. Historia de la Línea A|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C6xwCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA79|date=1 April 2015|publisher=Editorial Dunken|isbn=978-987-02-8141-2|pages=79–}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}{{page number|date=December 2024}}</ref> The workshop also serves as the headquarters for the Association of Friends of the Tramway and many of the Underground's historical artefacts are stored there, such as the wooden [[UEC Preston]] "palace cars", which also make appearances on Line A during special occasions such as anniversaries and even the inauguration of president [[Raúl Alfonsín]] in 1983, where he and other officials were transported from the [[Palace of the Argentine National Congress|National Congress]] to the [[Casa Rosada]] using these cars.<ref>{{cite news|title=Exhibieron la dupla histórica Preston para festejar el Bicentenario|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/exhibiran-la-dupla-historica-preston-festejar-el-bicentenario-1059/|access-date=5 February 2016|work=EnElSubte|date=26 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cuando la democracia viajó en Subte|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/cuando-la-democracia-viajo-en-subte/|access-date=5 February 2016|work=EnElSubte|date=10 December 2015}}</ref>

=== Artwork and exhibits ===

[[File:Est. Congreso de Tucuman (11).JPG|thumb|right|One of the exhibits at [[Congreso de Tucumán (Buenos Aires Underground)|Congreso de Tucumán]] on [[Line D (Buenos Aires Underground)|line D]]. Note the glass encasings along the walls where the busts are exhibited.]]
[[File:Est. 9 de Julio (1).JPG|thumbnail|A mural undergoing restoration at [[9 de Julio (Line D Buenos Aires Underground)|9 de Julio station]].]]
[[File:Línea H, mural sobre el túnel en la estación Venezuela 02 (Buenos Aires, noviembre 2008).jpg|thumb|right|A modern mural at [[Venezuela (Buenos Aires Underground)|Venezuela station]] on [[Line H (Buenos Aires Underground)|line H]].]]

The network has over 390 artworks by over 170 artists across its stations, ranging from historic murals to modern art. Styles also vary, from [[mosaic]] to [[fileteado]], sculpture and installation pieces.<ref name=galeriadearte>{{cite news|title=El subte, una galería de arte debajo de la Ciudad|url=http://www.clarin.com/ciudades/subte-galeria-artes-debajo-ciudad_0_1430857272.html|access-date=29 January 2016|work=Clarin|date=14 September 2015}}</ref> Many stations are decorated with intricate ceramic tile work, some of which date back to 1913 when the Underground first opened its doors.<ref name="Incollá2003">{{cite book|author=María de las Nieves Arias Incollá|title=Guía patrimonio cultural de Buenos Aires: Murales|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7GbjAAAAMAAJ|date=1 January 2003|publisher=GOBBsAs, Secretaria de Cultura|isbn=978-987-98718-7-4}}</ref><ref name="bajo ciudad" /> Featured artists include painters and reproductions by [[Quino]], [[Molina Campos]], [[Raúl Soldi]], Rodolfo Medina and Jorge Schwarz. In addition, they provide spaces for music and theatre events, including an underground iteration of the [[Pepsi Music Festival]] on Line H.<ref>{{cite news|title=La línea H de subterráneos se llena de música este sábado|url=http://www.telam.com.ar/notas/201512/130409-subte-musica-concierto-babasonicos-ciudad-estaciones.html|access-date=29 January 2016|work=Telam|date=17 December 2015}}</ref>

====Line A====
The oldest line on the network has maintained its original appearance from 1913 and 1914 on the [[Plaza de Mayo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza de Mayo]] – [[Primera Junta (Buenos Aires Underground)|Primera Junta]] segment following restoration works in 1988 for the 75th anniversary of the line and again in 2007. These older stations feature no advertisements, but instead have recreations of original advertisements from the early 20th century.<ref>{{cite news|title=El Subte de Buenos Aires recrea publicidades antiguas|url=http://www.latinspots.com/site/sp/nota/detalle/35283/El-Subte-de-Buenos-Aires-recrea-publicidades-antiguas|access-date=3 February 2016|work=Latin Spots|date=26 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427152903/http://www.latinspots.com/site/sp/nota/detalle/35283/El-Subte-de-Buenos-Aires-recrea-publicidades-antiguas|archive-date=27 April 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Line's newest segment, which runs from [[Puán (Buenos Aires Underground)|Puán]] to [[San Pedrito (Buenos Aires Underground)|San Pedrito]], displays more modern artworks, such as those by [[Uruguayan people|Uruguayan]] artist Guillermo Roux at [[San José de Flores (Buenos Aires Underground)|San José de Flores station]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Homenajearon a Roux en la estación San José de Flores|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/homenajearon-roux-la-estacion-san-jose-flores-2182/|access-date=3 February 2016|work=EnElSubte|date=19 October 2012}}</ref>

====Line B====
In [[Tronador - Villa Ortúzar (Buenos Aires Underground)|Tronador – Villa Ortúzar station]] there are 18 stained glasses that refer to the history of the [[Villa Ortúzar]] neighborhood, where the station is located.<ref name="Página12 videla">{{cite web|last1=Videla|first1=Eduardo|title=Cómo serán las nuevas estaciones de la prolongada Línea B de subte|url=http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/sociedad/3-18386-2003-04-04.html|website=Página12|access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref> In [[Los Incas - Parque Chas (Buenos Aires Underground)|Los Incas – Parque Chas station]] there are murals related with different [[Pre-Columbian era]] civilizations are exhibited.<ref>{{cite news|title=La línea B tiene dos nuevas estaciones|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/518306-la-linea-b-tiene-dos-nuevas-estaciones|access-date=4 February 2016|work=La Nacion|date=10 August 2003|archive-date=1 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301203323/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/518306-la-linea-b-tiene-dos-nuevas-estaciones|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2015, SBASE faced criticism for its incorporation of new artworks in multiple stations on the line. Many of these artworks were painted directly over tiles dating back to the 1930s when the line was opened by the Lacroze company, while others were completely removed and destroyed.<ref name=patrimoniob />

====Line C====
From [[Constitución (Line C Buenos Aires Underground)|Constitución]] to [[Diagonal Norte (Buenos Aires Underground)|Diagonal Norte]], the line features murals of Iberian landscapes created by Spanish artists such as [[Ignacio Zuloaga]] and [[Fernando Álvarez de Sotomayor y Zaragoza]], which date back to the time of the line's opening by CHADOPyF.<ref name=CECRA>{{cite web|title=CECRA – Cronología de hechos protagonizados por españoles en Argentina|url=http://www.cecra.com.ar/pages/viewfull.asp?CodArt=107|website=www.cecra.com.ar|access-date=23 January 2016|archive-date=22 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322125217/http://www.cecra.com.ar/pages/viewfull.asp?CodArt=107|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Nogués2015">{{cite book|author=Germinal Nogués|title=Buenos Aires, ciudad secreta|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bfmpCAAAQBAJ&pg=PT506|date=1 May 2015|publisher=Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Argentina|isbn=978-950-07-5231-2|pages=506–}}</ref><ref name="Hunt1998">{{cite book|author=Patricio Julio Hunt|title=Historia de los subtes de Buenos Aires|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vwBjAAAAMAAJ|date=1 January 1998|publisher=Mompracem Editores|isbn=978-987-95994-1-9}}</ref> 

====Line D====
The line's murals on its original [[Catedral (Buenos Aires Underground)|Catedral]] – [[Palermo (Buenos Aires Underground)|Palermo]] route date back to 1937 and 1940, and began to be restored in 2013. These include murals by Argentine artists [[Benito Quinquela Martín]] in [[Plaza Italia (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza Italia station]].<ref>{{cite news|title=El subte recuperó murales patrimoniales en la Línea D|url=http://www.minutouno.com/notas/335985-el-subte-recupero-murales-patrimoniales-la-linea-d|access-date=3 February 2016|work=Minuto Uno|date=9 September 2014}}</ref> There are also numerous showcase exhibits in its newer stations, with a series of ceramic reproductions by Raúl and Daniel De Francisco in [[Juramento (Buenos Aires Underground)|Juramento station]], ceramic reproductions of four murals made by [[Raúl Soldi]] in [[José Hernández (Buenos Aires Underground)|José Hernández station]] and showcases exposing works made in the Ceramic School No.1 in [[Olleros (Buenos Aires Underground)|Olleros station]]<ref name="Incollá2003"/><ref name="bajo ciudad">{{cite book|title=Arte bajo la ciudad|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AfhcAAAAMAAJ|year=1978|publisher=M. Zago|isbn = 9789875090217}}</ref><ref name="La Nación hernandez">{{cite news|last1=Casanovas|first1=Laura|title=Un mural de Polesello viajará en subte|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/944223-un-mural-de-polesello-viajara-en-subte|website=La Nación|date=15 September 2007|publisher=La Nación|access-date=24 January 2016|archive-date=4 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204134915/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/944223-un-mural-de-polesello-viajara-en-subte|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Ñ: revista de cultura|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8ds6AQAAIAAJ|year=2004|publisher=Clarín}}</ref> [[Congreso de Tucumán (Buenos Aires Underground)|Congreso de Tucumán station]] was the network's first "museum station" and holds numerous exhibits, among them busts of key political and cultural figures in Argentine culture and history such as [[Jorge Luis Borges]] and [[Manuel Belgrano]] displayed in glass enclosures in its platform walls.<ref>{{cite news|title=Los museos tendrán su lugar en el subte|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/14380-los-museos-tendran-su-lugar-en-el-subte|access-date=4 February 2016|work=La Nacion|date=25 April 2000|archive-date=4 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204142954/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/14380-los-museos-tendran-su-lugar-en-el-subte|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====Line E====

Some modern murals on the line include an homage to the 1996 Argentine film [[Moebius (1996 film)|''Moebius'']] at [[San José (Buenos Aires Underground)|San José]] station. The film used the line for its primary filming locations and the murals depict scenes from it.<ref>{{cite news|title=Murales alusivos a Moebius en San José|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/murales-alusivos-a-moebius-en-san-jose/|access-date=29 January 2016|work=EnElSubte|date=18 December 2014}}</ref> Recently opened [[Correo Central (Buenos Aires Underground)|Correo Central]] station has received an award from the Association of Structural Engineers in Argentina for the quality and creativity of the work.<ref>{{cite news|title=Premian a la estación "Correo Central" de la Línea E del Subte|url=http://www.areas-digital.com.ar/nota.php?id=23662|access-date=29 January 2016|work=Areas Globales|date=30 September 2014}}</ref>

====Line H====
The newest line on the Underground has many [[Hermenegildo Sábat]] mural reproductions related to [[Tango music|tango]] in all stations.<ref name="El Observador">{{cite web|title=Hermenegildo Sábat y su memoria|url=http://www.elobservador.com.uy/hermenegildo-sabat-y-su-memoria-n698327|website=El Observador|access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref> Its numerous stations depict different tango singers and poets relating to the neighbourhoods in which they are situated.<ref name=galeriadearte /> Santa Fe station was renamed to [[Santa Fe - Carlos Jáuregui (Buenos Aires Underground)|Santa Fe - Carlos Jáuregui]] in 2017, in honour of [[LGBT rights]] activist [[Carlos Jáuregui (activist)|Carlos Jáuregui]].<ref name="Independent">{{cite news |last1=Necati |first1=Yas |title=Argentina, with its first-class LGBTQ+ rights and its failure to legalise abortion, proves an uncomfortable theory about progress |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/argentina-abortion-referendum-lgbtq-a8484726.html |access-date=10 August 2020 |work=The Independent |date=9 August 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

===Graffiti===
[[File:100 series BA.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Graffiti before and after removal on a [[Buenos Aires Underground 100 Series|100 Series car]].]]

[[Graffiti]] on the Buenos Aires Underground became particularly prevalent in the late 2000s and early 2010s, and by 2013, four out of every five cars on the network had some degree of graffiti. By January 2015, all the painted cars had been cleaned by night-time cleaning teams using a product specially developed for SBASE that allowed the removal of graffiti without damaging the [[livery]] of the cars.<ref name=producto>{{cite news|title=Sacan los graffitis del subte con un producto inventado en el país|url=http://www.clarin.com/ciudades/Sacan-graffitis-subte-producto-inventado_0_994100626.html|access-date=18 January 2016|work=Clarin.com|date=6 September 2013}}</ref><ref name=chaugraffitis>{{cite news|title=¡Chau graffitis!: limpiaron todas las formaciones del subte y el premetro|url=http://www.larazon.com.ar/ciudad/Chau-graffitis-limpiaron-formaciones-premetro_0_646500163.html|access-date=18 January 2016|work=Larazon|date=27 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702062146/http://www.larazon.com.ar/ciudad/Chau-graffitis-limpiaron-formaciones-premetro_0_646500163.html|archive-date=2 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Cleaning the 410 vandalized cars had cost the City of Buenos Aires [[Argentine Peso|AR$]] 10.25 million [[pesos]], while a coat of anti-graffiti paint has been applied to the cars to make future cleaning easier using [[ethanol|alcohol]].<ref name=producto /><ref name=Grafiticero>{{cite news|last1=Sánchez|first1=Nora|title=Grafiti cero: ya limpiaron todos los vagones del subte|url=http://www.clarin.com/ciudades/grafiti-cero-terminaron-dos-anos-limpiaron-todos-vagones-subte_0_1294070621.html|access-date=18 January 2016|work=Clarin.com|date=29 January 2015}}</ref>

SBASE, along with the [[Buenos Aires Metropolitan Police]], has adopted a zero tolerance policy on graffiti in the Buenos Aires Underground, imposing fines ranging from AR$400–6000 and up to 30 days [[community service]], the culprits often being made to clean the cars they vandalized.<ref name=Grafiticero /> Increased vigilance from over 500 police officers, as well as close to 300 CCTV cameras, have aided in decreasing new acts of vandalism by 85% in 2014, with a further decrease of 50% in 2015 after security was intensified.<ref name=chaugraffitis /><ref>{{cite news|title=El vandalismo en el subte se redujo a la mitad gracias al refuerzo en seguridad|url=http://www.puraciudad.com.ar/el-vandalismo-en-el-subte-se-redujo-a-la-mitad-gracias-al-refuerzo-en-seguridad/|access-date=18 January 2016|work=Pura Ciudad|date=14 January 2016|archive-date=16 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160116053813/http://www.puraciudad.com.ar/el-vandalismo-en-el-subte-se-redujo-a-la-mitad-gracias-al-refuerzo-en-seguridad/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Painted cars were often worked on by organised groups in a "whole car" ([[Glossary of graffiti|graffiti jargon]] for covering the entire visible surface of the vehicle) manner, severely reducing visibility from inside the cars.<ref name=Grafiticero /><ref>{{cite news|title=Vandalizan un coche completo en la línea D|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/vandalizan-un-coche-completo-en-la-linea-d/|access-date=18 January 2016|work=enelSubte.com|date=30 December 2014|language=es-ES}}</ref> Numerous arrests have been made on these groups which often consist of foreign nationals from countries such as [[Chile]], [[Germany]] and [[France]]; two German nationals and a Chilean national were arrested in January 2016.<ref name="La Razón">{{cite web|title=Por segunda vez en una semana detienen a un grafitero en el subte|url=http://www.larazon.com.ar/ciudad/segunda-semana-detienen-grafitero-subte_0_753600004.html|website=La Razón|access-date=22 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818014835/http://www.larazon.com.ar/ciudad/segunda-semana-detienen-grafitero-subte_0_753600004.html|archive-date=18 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Detuvieron a dos ciudadanos alemanes que pintaron grafitis en el subte de Buenos Aires|url=http://www.puraciudad.com.ar/detuvieron-a-dos-ciudadanos-alemanes-que-pintaron-graffitis-en-el-subte-de-buenos-aires/|access-date=18 January 2016|work=Pura Ciudad|date=14 January 2016|archive-date=17 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117150844/http://www.puraciudad.com.ar/detuvieron-a-dos-ciudadanos-alemanes-que-pintaron-graffitis-en-el-subte-de-buenos-aires/|url-status=dead}}</ref> One high-profile arrest of such a group saw four [[Argentine people|Argentines]] detained in 2015 after vandalising a [[Buenos Aires Underground 200 Series|200 Series train]] on [[Line A (Buenos Aires Underground)|Line A]]. Their houses were subsequently raided, uncovering a vast collection of stolen Subte paraphernalia as well as documented evidence of their activities in the form of videos and photographs.<ref>{{cite news|title=Detienen a cuatro grafiteros y allanan sus domicilios|url=http://enelsubte.com/noticias/detienen-a-cuatro-grafiteros-y-allanan-sus-domicilios/|access-date=18 January 2016|work=enelSubte.com|date=23 December 2015|language=es-ES}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Hicieron graffitis en el subte, los identificaron y fueron detenido|url=http://www.minutouno.com/notas/1460384-hicieron-graffitis-el-subte-los-identificaron-y-fueron-detenidos|access-date=18 January 2016|work=Minuto Uno|date=21 December 2015}}</ref>

According to ''[[Clarín (Argentine newspaper)|Clarín]]'', people from across the world have visited Buenos Aires with the sole purpose of "bombing" (painting cars in a clandestine manner), while competition among different groups exists in the form of greater points being earned for painting newer cars or the level of danger experienced. In most cases, the people involved are university educated and with stable employment.<ref name=bombing>{{cite news|title=Fenómeno "bombing": ¿Por qué vienen extranjeros a pintar grafitis en el subte?|url=http://www.clarin.com/ciudades/Fenomeno-bombing-vienen-extranjeros-grafitear_0_1508249315.html|access-date=27 January 2016|work=Clarin.com|date=21 January 2016}}</ref> In January 2016, a group called ''Soketes Calcetines'' was discovered to be offering tourists graffiti tours of the Underground, giving them a chance to paint cars for a fee. The group documented their activities and uploaded them to [[YouTube]] in order to promote the business, which has been subsequently shut down with its members arrested.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tomino|first1=Pablo|title=Allanan la casa de Black, el líder de una banda de grafiteros que cobraba a extranjeros para pintar subtes porteños|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1866059-allanan-la-casa-de-black-el-lider-de-una-banda-de-grafiteros-que-cobraba-a-extranjeros-para-pintar-subtes-portenos|access-date=28 January 2016|work=La Nacion|date=28 January 2016|archive-date=29 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129135534/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1866059-allanan-la-casa-de-black-el-lider-de-una-banda-de-grafiteros-que-cobraba-a-extranjeros-para-pintar-subtes-portenos|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===In popular culture===
The Buenos Aires Underground is featured in the 1996 science-fiction film ''[[Moebius (1996 film)|Moebius]]'', directed by Gustavo Mosquera. In the film, the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of an underground train are investigated by a [[topology|topologist]]. The film is based on the short story "[[A Subway Named Mobius]]", which takes place in the [[MBTA subway|Boston Subway]].<ref name="PigottOyarzabel2014">{{cite book|author1=Michael Pigott|author2=Santiago Oyarzabel|title=World Film Locations: Buenos Aires|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4H21BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA62|year=2014|publisher=Intellect Ltd|isbn=978-1-78320-358-1|pages=62–}}</ref>

Other films with scenes shot in the Underground include ''[[Highlander II: The Quickening]]'', ''[[Focus (2015 film)|Focus]]'' and ''[[The Official Story]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=El subte como locación artística|url=http://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/noticias/el-subte-como-locacion-artistica|access-date=4 February 2016|work=Buenos Aires Ciudad|date=13 July 2015}}</ref>

In [[Ricardo Piglia]]'s 1997 novel ''Plata Quemada'', the bank robber protagonists enjoy riding the underground regularly. In [[Ernesto Sabato]]'s novel ''[[On Heroes and Tombs]]'', Fernando, one of its main characters, develops a paranoia with blind people in the underground.<ref name="Wilson2007">{{cite book|author=Jason Wilson|title=Buenos Aires: A Cultural and Literary History|url=https://archive.org/details/buenosairescultu0000wils|url-access=registration|year=2007|publisher=Signal Books|isbn=978-1-904955-09-2}}</ref>

One of [[Jorge Luis Borges]]' earlier editorial jobs was for ''Urbe'', a promotional magazine for the underground system, which was privately owned at that time. In the magazine, he wrote several articles on [[sci-fi]] topics under various [[pseudonym]]s.<ref name="Gonzalez2013">{{cite book|author=Jose Eduardo Gonzalez|title=Borges and the Politics of Form|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=plyuyyltPhgC&pg=PA85|date=13 May 2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-82502-8|pages=85–}}</ref>

Line B and some of its stations feature heavily in the 2013 Argentine [[point-and-click adventure game]] ''Reversion: The Meeting''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Raha|first1=Shuva|title=Reversion: Chapter 2 – The Meeting|url=http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/24154|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322020934/http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/24154|url-status=usurped|archive-date=22 March 2013|access-date=4 February 2016|work=Adventure Gamers|date=18 March 2013}}</ref>

<!-- This is true, but needs a secondary source rather than a primary one.
An animated version of the Underground appeared as the main focus of the [[Doki (TV series)|''Doki'']] episode "Subway Solution". -->

''[[El Eternauta]]'' is a science fiction comic book created by [[Héctor Germán Oesterheld]] and [[Francisco Solano López]] in 1957. The story is about an [[alien invasion]] in Buenos Aires. Part of the action takes place at the [[Plaza Italia (Buenos Aires Underground)|Plaza Italia]] station, as the heroes try to use the tunnel to escape from the aliens, and successfully exploit the weakness of the alien leader to kill him. The comic book, published in the 1950s, made reference to the "Canning" station, a former name of the [[Scalabrini Ortiz (Buenos Aires Underground)|Scalabrini Ortiz]] station.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://enelsubte.com/noticias/el-dia-canning-fue-2-abril-2568/|title= El día en que Canning fue 2 de Abril|trans-title= The day Canning was 2 April|language= es|date= 1 April 2013|publisher= En el subte|access-date=18 April 2016}}</ref>

== Network map ==
{{Rapid transit OSM map
| system_qid   = Q497044
| frame-lat    = -34.62
| frame-long   = -58.43
| frame-width  = 500
| frame-height = 500
| zoom         = 12
| length       = yes
}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Argentina|Trains}}
* [[List of Buenos Aires Underground stations]]
* [[List of Latin American rail transit systems by ridership]]
* [[List of metro systems]]
* [[Rail transport in Argentina]]
* [[Trams in Buenos Aires]]
* [[Transport in Argentina]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{official website}}
<!-- Per [[WP:ELMINOFFICIAL]], choose one official website only -->
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* [https://emova.com.ar/ Emova] (concession holder/operator) {{in lang|es}}

{{Buenos Aires Underground Stations}}
{{Buenos Aires landmarks}}
{{Buenos Aires Transit}}
{{Urban public transport in Argentina}}
{{Internationally Metro Organizations}}
{{Rapid transit in Latin America}}

[[Category:Buenos Aires Underground| ]]
[[Category:1913 establishments in Argentina]]
[[Category:Underground rapid transit in Argentina]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Buenos Aires|u]]
[[Category:1500 V DC railway electrification]]
[[Category:750 V DC railway electrification]]