Balderas metro station

Balderas is an underground station on the Mexico City Metro.[2][3] It is located in the Cuauhtémoc borough in the center of Mexico City.[2] It is a transfer station along Lines 1 and 3.[2][4]

"Metro Balderas" redirects here. For the Rockdrigo González song, see Metro Balderas (song).
Balderas
Mexico City Metro
STC rapid transit
A NE-92 arriving to Line 1 platforms.
General information
LocationAvenida Balderas
Cuauhtémoc
Mexico City
Mexico
Coordinates19.42744°N 99.149036°W / 19.42744; -99.149036
Operated bySistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC)
Line(s)Mexico City Metro Line 1 (Observatorio - Pantitlán)
Mexico City Metro Line 3 (Indios Verdes - Universidad)
Platforms4 side platforms
Tracks4
Connections Balderas
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
Platform levels2
ParkingNo
Bicycle facilitiesNo
AccessibleYes
Other information
StatusIn service
History
OpenedMexico City Metro Line 1 4 September 1969
Mexico City Metro Line 3 20 November 1970
Passengers
2022Total: 13,189,542
Mexico City Metro Line 1 7,139,186[1]
Mexico City Metro Line 3 6,050,356[1] Increase 173.46%
RankMexico City Metro Line 1 46/195[1]
Mexico City Metro Line 3 63/195[1]
Services
Preceding station Mexico City Metro Following station
Cuauhtémoc
toward Observatorio
 Line 1 Salto del Agua
toward Pantitlán
Juárez
toward Indios Verdes
 Line 3 Niños Héroes
toward Universidad
Location
Balderas is located in Mexico City
Balderas
Balderas
Location within Mexico City
Area map

Name and iconography

The station receives its name from the nearby Balderas street, which in turn was named in honor of Lucas Balderas, a Mexican military officer that participated in the Mexican–American War and was killed at the Battle of Molino del Rey in 1847. It is said that his last words were "poor country of mine".[5][6]

The station pictogram depicts the colonial-era cannon preserved on the nearby Plaza de La Ciudadela.[2][3] The cannon is a reminder of the Ten Tragic Days, which was a period a little bit longer than 10 days in which a coup the democratically elected government of Francisco I. Madero took place. This chapter would end with the murder of President Madero and Vice-President José María Pino Suárez, as well as the rise to the presidency of Victoriano Huerta.[2]

General information

Nearby Metro Balderas are some interesting places, like La Ciudadela market, filled with Mexican handicrafts,[7] the José Vasconcelos Central Library of Mexico City,[8] and facilities of broadcaster Televisa. Next to the library lies a tianguis (street market) full of books old and new, comics, collectibles, etc.

This station has an information desk and facilities for the disabled.[2] It also displays a plaque unveiled on 19 September 2004, celebrating Mexican rock musician Rockdrigo González, killed exactly 19 years earlier in the 1985 Mexico City earthquake and composer of a song titled "Metro Balderas". In September 2011 a real-size bronze statue of Rockdrigo was also unveiled inside the station.[9]

Although this station is totally underground, cellular phone signals (GSM and TDMA for several providers) are able to reach the platform. The station also has charging stations for mobile devices.[10]

History

Metro Balderas was opened on 4 September 1969, as part of the first stage of Line 1, going from Chapultepec to Zaragoza.[11]

The station became the network's second transfer station, when the first stretch of Line 3, from Tlatelolco to Hospital General, was opened in November 1970.[11]

Incidents

On Friday, 18 September 2009 a shooting occurred on the platform. A man was tagging one of the station walls with a marker, therefore, he was confronted by a police officer. He reacted by taking out a gun and killing the officer and a construction worker who tried to disarm him, he also left five more wounded.[12] The man later claimed that he committed the killings "in the name of god" and was sentenced to 151 years in prison.[13]

On 29 December 2018, a woman gave birth to a child inside the station, at the Line 1 platforms, helped by personnel of the Mexican Red Cross.[14]

Nearby
  • Biblioteca de México, public library.
  • Escuela Libre de Derecho, law school.
  • Televisa Chapultepec headquarters.
  • Parque Tolsá, park.
  • Centro Escolar Revolución, elementary school.

Exits

Line 1
  • North: Tolsá street and Balderas, Centro
  • South: Avenida Niños Héroes and Avenida Chapultepec, Colonia Doctores

Line 3

Station layout
G Street Level Exit/Entrance
B1 Mezzanine for platform connection Fare control/Ticket windows
Side platform, doors will open on the right
Westbound ← Mexico City Metro Mexico City Metro Line 1 toward Observatorio (Cuauhtémoc)
Eastbound → Mexico City Metro Mexico City Metro Line 1 toward Pantitlán (Salto del Agua) →
Side platform, doors will open on the right
B2 Side platform, doors will open on the right
Northbound ← Mexico City Metro Mexico City Metro Line 3 toward Indios Verdes (Juárez)
Southbound → Mexico City Metro Mexico City Metro Line 3 toward Universidad (Niños Héroes) →
Side platform, doors will open on the right

Ridership
  • Entrance to the station in the corner of Avenida Chapultepec and Av. Niños Héroes
    Entrance to the station in the corner of Avenida Chapultepec and Av. Niños Héroes
  • Entrance sign to the station
    Entrance sign to the station
  • Line 3 platforms
    Line 3 platforms
  • Commemorative plaque to Rockdrigo González
    Commemorative plaque to Rockdrigo González
  • Statue honoring Rockdrigo
    Statue honoring Rockdrigo

References
  1. "Afluencia de estación por línea 2022" [Station traffic per line 2022] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2023. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  2. "Balderas" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  3. Archambault, Richard. "Balderas (Line 1) » Mexico City Metro System". Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  4. Archambault, Richard. "Balderas (Line 3)» Mexico City Metro System". Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  5. "¿Sabes por qué el logotipo de la estación Balderas es un cañón?". Excélsior (in Spanish). 9 May 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  6. "Lucas Balderas". www.durangomas.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  7. "Mercado de La Ciudadela". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  8. "Biblioteca Vasconcelos" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 July 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  9. "Rockdrigo 'cantará' permanentemente en el metro Balderas del DF" (in Spanish). Expansión. 19 September 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  10. "Instalan en Metro Balderas centros de carga para celulares". Diario de México (in Spanish). 15 August 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  11. "Balderas" (in Spanish). Metro CDMX. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  12. Avila, Eduardo (20 September 2009). "Mexico: Shooting at Balderas Metro Station". Global Voices Online.
  13. "El día en que el Metro Balderas se tiñó de rojo". Reporte Indigo (in Spanish). 18 September 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  14. "Nace un bebé en la estación Balderas del Metro de la CDMX" (in Spanish). Noticieros Televisa. 29 December 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  15. "Afluencia de estación por línea 2021" [Station traffic per line 2021] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2022. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  16. "Afluencia de estación por línea 2020" [Station traffic per line 2020] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2021. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  17. "Afluencia de estación por línea 2019" [Station traffic per line 2019] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2020. Archived from the original on 8 April 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  18. "Afluencia de estación por línea 2018" [Station traffic per line 2018] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2019. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  19. "Afluencia de estación por línea 2017" [Station traffic per line 2017] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2019. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  20. "Afluencia de estación por línea 2016" [Station traffic per line 2016] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2017. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  21. "Afluencia de estación por línea 2015" [Station traffic per line 2015] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2016. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  22. "Afluencia de estación por línea 2014" [Station traffic per line 2014] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2015. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  23. "Afluencia de estación por línea 2013" [Station traffic per line 2013] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2014. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  24. "Afluencia de estación por línea 2012" [Station traffic per line 2012] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2013. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  25. "Afluencia de estación por línea 2011" [Station traffic per line 2011] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2012. Archived from the original on 7 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  26. "Afluencia de estación por línea 2010" [Station traffic per line 2010] (in Spanish). Sistema Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2011. Archived from the original on 7 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
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