[1] The company was founded by Per Andersson, and started as a subsidiary of the Modern Times Group along with Viasat Broadcasting.

[1] Metro newspaper editions are distributed in high-traffic commuter zones or in public transport networks via a combination of self-service racks and by-hand distributors on weekdays.

Metro International launched several editions in Canada in 2000, leading to the creation of several commuter newspaper competitors, such as Sun Media's 24 Hours.

In Belgium, Mass Transit Media, a joint venture of Concentra and Rossel, publishes the free daily newspaper Metro.

In California, United States, Metro Silicon Valley is a free weekly newspaper founded in 1985.

[8] There are national editions in the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Finland, the Netherlands (online only),[16] Russia, and Sweden (Metro).