Metro Nopalera

Metro Nopalera is one of the new Line 12 stations in Tláhuac. An elevated station, it’s not often that international visitors will disembark here. But from the platforms, one can enjoy remarkable views to the north and south.

The station primarily serves the communities of Miguel Hidalgo and the western portion of Santiago Zapotitlan. The enormous Santa Ana Poniente housing development is just north of the station.

The station is named for the Nopalera neighborhood which is just to the west. The neighborhood is named for the giant fields of nopal cactus that were raised when all of this territory was part of the giant Hacienda de San Nicolás Tolentino. The only real remains of the hacienda are nearer to Metro Tezonco. For hundreds of years, these plots of lands were used for growing the cactus and for grazing livestock.

The station logo represents the nopal cactus in bloom and the striking xoconostle fruit emerging from that bloom. While Metro Nopalera won’t likely make the list of must-see tourist destinations, as part of Metro Line 12, it serves as an interesting stop along the way to Metro Tláhuac. The agricultural and natural points of interest in Tláhuac and deep into Xochimilco are here just starting to come into view along with the volcanoes in the distance.