Salvador is to become the eighth Brazilian city to have a metro following award of the first contracts for the US$307m project to Siemens and two Brazilian companies, Camargo Correa and Andade Gutierrez. It is hoped that it will open by by mid-2003. The standard gauge line will link Lapa in the city centre with Piraja. It will be 11.9km long, of which 1.4km will be underground.
