The study will examine physical, socioeconomic and urban development factors and will also consider suitable locations for stations.

According to the metro master plan, Line 4 will connect Pedregal with Punta Pacifica, while Line 5 will link Costa Del Este with Obarrio

Panama opened the first section of its metro network in April 2014 with the start of operations on the 13.7km Los Andes - Albrook section of Line 1. The 2.1km section of Line 1 between Los Andes and San Isidrio was added in August 2015.

Construction began on the 21km Line 2 from San Miguelito to San Antonio, and Hospital del Este in October 2015 and commissioning is scheduled for 2019.

In April 2016 Panama and Japan signed a $US 2.6bn 20-year loan agreement to fund Line 3, whcih will be a monorail line using Japanese technology. Cosntruction is due to start on the 26.7km line from Albrook to Ciudad del Futuro later this year, with opening scheduled for 2021.

A nine-line network with 90 stations is envisaged by 2040.