The refurbishment is said to be focused on Line 2, transforming a busy transport hub into a setting that passengers have compared to a period drama. Memes have circulated online, including one imagining characters from *Beauty and the Beast* walking through the station.
Cardenas also questioned the broader aesthetic direction, saying: “Eu acho tudo muito exagerado, para ser sincera, e cada estação tem um conceito diferente”. Her criticism reflects the uneasy contrast between elaborate decoration and the practical demands of a crowded metro system.
The unusual design has made Hidalgo a viral attraction, but not necessarily in the way tournament organisers would have wanted. For many passengers, the chandeliers have become a symbol of misplaced priorities.
Marketing specialist Marisol Venegas framed the reaction as part of a wider public frustration with World Cup-related construction. “Há também uma certa fadiga social porque essas reformas estão sendo feitas para a Copa do Mundo. No entanto, também precisamos de outras coisas que são importantes, não apenas estética”, she said.
That tension is familiar in major tournament cities. Investment can improve public spaces and transport, yet residents often judge projects by daily usefulness rather than visual impact. A brighter station may create a memorable image, but it will not settle concerns about timing, access or unfinished infrastructure.
As Mexico City continues preparing for the tournament, Hidalgo station will remain an unexpected test of the World Cup’s urban message. The next question is whether the renovation becomes a celebrated landmark-or a lasting meme about what organisers chose to prioritise.