In the late 1970s its population exceeded one million, passing the legal Soviet requirement to begin developing a rapid-transit system.

Construction of the second stage began shortly; however, this was slowed with the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the chaotic economic hardships that followed.

Despite the economic stagnation, the system managed to grow to length that allowed it to carry out its major transport role, unlike the ill-fated Nizhny Novgorod and Yerevan Metros throughout the 1990s.

Construction on the third planned stage, originally destined for the second half of the 1990s began in 1991, was extremely slow because of constant offsets.

The work on two of the stations that were initially meant to lengthen the first line has been stopped because it posed danger to buildings of historical and cultural value.

Its construction will take place as part of the program for development of the transportation system of Samara, planned for the time period between 2014 and 2025.