Line 5 was opened to the public on April 5, 1997 by President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle at Bellavista de La Florida station.

It was particularly welcomed by people living in the southern districts of Santiago and the area around Vicuña Mackenna Avenue, who saw their commute time to the centre of the city drastically reduced.

This extension included a station at Plaza de Armas central square, allowing commuters to interchange with Line 2 (in Santa Ana), reducing travel time between the centre and the east of the city.

Quinta Normal station is one of the biggest on the Metro network, with space for hosting cultural events, and connects to Quinta Normal Park, where the Chilean National Museum of Natural History and a branch of the Santiago Museum of Contemporary Art are located.

It also provided a larger hub for the influx of people coming up from Line 4 than Bellavista de La Florida station.

On November 17, 2008, an express service began to run on Line 4 at peak times, stopping at certain stations only to allow for faster journeys.