Metro's new rail lines open Saturday

A Red Line train makes its way down Main Street at Capitol past the new tracks for the Green and Purple Lines on Oct. 22. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle ) A Red Line train makes its way down Main Street at Capitol past the new tracks for the Green and Purple Lines on Oct. 22. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Houston Chronicle Photo: Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Metro's new rail lines open Saturday 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

Saturday is the day Houston goes from having a light rail line to a light rail system.

After years of controversy and delay, Metro is opening its Green and Purple lines with a host of community events, culminating with a sold-out concert at BBVA Compass Stadium.

The openings extend light rail service from the existing Red Line to points east along Harrisburg to Altic and southeast along Scott, past the University of Houston, to the Palm Center Transit Center at Griggs and Martin Luther King Jr.

Rides are free along all rail routes for the openings. The new lines start rolling before 5 a.m.

Trains will run every 12 minutes along the two new lines during most of the day, and every 18 minutes later at night.