Salvador light rail adds free Saturday trips in test phase

The light rail (VLT) system serving Salvador and its metropolitan area will run free assisted trips on Saturdays as part of its testing phase. Service will be offered from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on July 18, August 1, 15 and 29, covering the segment between Calçada Station and the Lobato stop. The Saturday operation follows the existing weekday assisted service, which runs Monday‑Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (excluding holidays).

The trial aims to gather data on travel times, integration with other transport modes and passenger satisfaction before the system moves to full commercial operation. The VLT project, valued at 5.49 billion reais, will eventually span about 43.3 km with 50 stations and connect to the Salvador‑Lauro de Freitas metro line, representing a major upgrade to Bahia’s urban mobility infrastructure.