WASHINGTON, DC, July 29, 2025 – The World Bank Board of Directors has approved a new project to support the expansion of São Paulo’s Metro Line 4 to the neighboring city of Taboão da Serra – marking the first time the metro network will extend beyond the city limits. This milestone will bring faster, cleaner, and safer transportation to thousands of daily commuters, improve access to jobs for low-income residents, and serve as a model for delivering complex urban infrastructure through public-private partnerships.
The Line 4 extension is expected to benefit around 50,000 daily passengers by 2030 and will connect São Paulo’s existing metro network to Taboão da Serra, where incomes are up to 70% lower than in central São Paulo. This expansion is particularly impactful for low-income and socially vulnerable households, 71% of whom earn two minimum wages or less.
“Extending the metro beyond the city limits is more than an infrastructure project, it’s a social and economic transformation. The Line 4 expansion to Taboão da Serra brings people closer to jobs, services, and opportunity, while also fostering regional development through job creation and local economic growth. We are building a transportation system that is modern, sustainable, and fully integrated with the needs of the metropolitan region,” stated Rafael Benini, São Paulo State Secretary for Partnerships and Investments.
“This is an investment in equity and urban resilience,” said Jorge Coarasa Bustamante, World Bank Operations Manager for Brazil. “By connecting Taboão da Serra to the metro network, the project helps bridge social and spatial divides, giving thousands of people reliable access to jobs and other opportunities offered by the city. It’s also a blueprint for sustainable and inclusive infrastructure delivery in complex urban settings.”
This is the first time a private concessionaire will directly implement a World Bank-financed project in Brazil. It builds on the successful partnership between the Government of the State of São Paulo (GSSP) and the World Bank in previous phases of the Metro Line 4 project, which has consistently ranked among the most efficient and innovative transit systems in Latin America.
Green infrastructure, inclusive growth
The new 3.3-kilometer extension will feature two new stations, universal accessibility, climate-resilient infrastructure, and seamless bus-to-metro integration. The extension will be fully electrified, contributing to São Paulo’s climate goals by avoiding nearly 650,000 tons of CO₂ emissions, and will prioritize safety with driverless trains, platform screen doors, and flood-resilient design.
Key components of the project include:
Infrastructure expansion, including tunnels, tracks, stations, and a new power substation;Deployment of cutting-edge signaling systems, supporting driverless operation;Capacity building for São Paulo’s transport regulatory agency (ARTESP) to oversee PPPs more effectively;Improved access for women and vulnerable groups, with targeted investments in accessibility and safety;Creation of jobs through construction, supervision, technical services, expanded system operation, engineering, urban development, and regulatory oversight.
A new benchmark in private delivery
Metro Line 4 was Brazil’s first public-private partnership (PPP). Under this new phase, the State of São Paulo will delegate responsibility for construction and implementation to the private concessionaire, ensuring faster delivery and better risk management. The project will also include capacity building and digital tools to help São Paulo manage future PPPs more effectively.
The total project cost is estimated at US$893.6 million, with US$400 million in World Bank financing and the remainder from state and private sources. The initiative is part of a broader World Bank-supported Series of Projects to promote green, resilient, and inclusive mobility in Brazil’s largest cities.
Aligned with Brazil’s Country Partnership Framework and São Paulo’s mobility and climate strategies, the project reinforces the state’s leadership in sustainable transport, innovation, and inclusion.
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