“Almost there!” a voice shouts. This is Terminal Colón. It is more than just a station. Terminal Colón is Montevideo’s first multimodal terminal. It links urban, suburban, and rail transport. This spot marks the edge of the city. It sits where Agraciada and Garzón Avenues meet.
Terminal Colón opened on December 4, 2012. Operations started four days later. This modern hub aimed to integrate different transportation modes. It features a large covered area. Here passengers can transfer easily. You can board buses or trains without hassle.
Look around. You will see food vendors. Small shops offer various goods. Information points assist travelers. Clean restrooms are available. The Terminal Colón even includes spaces for cultural events.
Interestingly, an area is set aside for future expansion. There is land available for commercial development. This ensures Terminal Colón can adapt to future needs. It supports transfers between different services. These include trunk lines and suburban routes.
Notice the train stop. It serves the Montevideo to 25 de Agosto line. This line is also known as the Montevideo-Rivera line. The Terminal Colón offers parking for cars and bikes. There are taxi stands too. The main entrance faces Avenida Garzón.
An old house from the early 20th century stands here. It hosts social and cultural offices. These offices are part of the Zonal Community Center N°12 of Municipality G. Many bus lines serve the Terminal Colón. These include lines 2, 130, 145, and 147. Others are 148, 174, 526, and G. These connect Terminal Colón to various parts of the city.
Several bus stops surround the terminal. The closest are on Avenida Cesar Mayo Gutierrez near Camino Colman. These are just a minute’s walk away. Others are slightly further. They are still within easy walking distance.
In February 2013, some bus routes changed. Lines G4 and G5 had new routes. Some lines moved to different platforms. In March 2013, even more changes occurred. Line G2 stopped running. Lines 145, 147, 526, and L29 resumed services. They run from and to Complejo América via Terminal Colón.
The G9 line stopped. Line L29 resumed from La Carbonera. It passes through Terminal Colón. Services between lines G and G1 from La Paz improved. More G line services went to La Paz.
From Civil Aviation, lines 148 and 329 began to interweave with line G4. From Saint Bois Hospital, lines 2 and 329 interweaved with line G5. Line G6 extended to Civil Aviation. Its route became Terminal Colón, Saint Bois, Guanahany, Lezica, and Civil Aviation.
Line L3 returned to its usual route. It now includes Terminal Colón. In 2014, line G5 was removed. In 2018, lines 174, 148, and 329 stopped serving the terminal. They rerouted to Plaza Vidiella. They now run only on Avenida Lézica. In February 2020, line 130 was reinstated. Line G now runs only between La Paz and Portones Shopping.
Terminal Colón continues to evolve. It adapts to the city’s transportation needs. The next time you pass through, remember its history. Appreciate its role in connecting Montevideo.