The status of the Maya train stations

While Mexico has awarded over a dozen tenders for the final designs or executive projects for the 21 main stations of the 200bn-peso (US$10bn) Maya train, only three projects have been presented.

Construction has not started on a single station, a source from national tourism board Fonatur, which is supervising the megaproject, confirmed to BNamericas. 

The stations are planned to be built by the consortiums that have won construction contracts for one of the seven stretches, the source, requesting anonymity, said.

Stretches one, two, three, four and the northern section of stretch five were awarded to major private sector consortiums last year, while stretches six, seven and the southern section of stretch five will be built by the armed forces. The fifth stretch was only recently divided into two sections. 

But tender documents on procurement site Compranet show that several station designs went to local architecture firms, meaning the winning consortiums’ contracts did not include them. 

Several station contracts were not published on Compranet, however. 

Stations and designers

During this year’s edition of Mexico’s biggest tourism event, Tianguis Turístico, Fonatur presented the final design for the Nuevo Xcán Maya train station on stretch four in Quintana Roo state. 

The station was designed by firms Taller Gabriela Carrillo and Biopolis, Fonatur said in a statement. 

Final designs for the Palenque and Tulum stations in Chiapas and Quintana Roo state, respectively, were also presented. 

DAFDF Arquitectura y Urbanismo delivered the executive project for the Tulum station, while AIDIA Studio designed the Palenque station. 

Nuevo Xcán station /Photo Credit: Fonatur

Palenque station/ Foto credit: Fonatur

Tulum station/Photo credit: AIDIA Studio 

In December, Fonatur awarded another five contracts to local firms to deliver the executive projects of more stations, according to procurement records. 

The final design for El Triunfo station in Tabasco state, for example, went to a consortium formed by Diseño y Construcción Activos, C.I. Leam and Conforma Obra y Servicios, which was awarded a 2.9mn-peso contract. 

A consortium formed by Trion Construcciones; Construcciones, Mantenimiento y Proyectos Romaco and Vector-Mantenimiento a Inmuebles won the 2.3mn-peso contract for the Candelaria station in Campeche state that same month. 

Trivar and Proyectos y Construcciones won the 2.3mn-peso contract for the Mexcanú station in Yucatán, and Construcción Arquitectura Diseño y Servicios and Grupo Empresarial VICO received a 6.7bn-peso deal to deliver the executive project for the Escárcega station in Campeche. 

Last, a consortium formed by Tectonika Proyectos y Construcciones, Arquinteg, Bufete de Arquitectos y Urbanistas and Espacio Consultores received a 10mn-peso contract to build the Playa del Carmen station in Quintana Roo state. 

But many stations are still missing. 

The Maya train is still planned to serve 21 stations and 14 stops, according to the project’s website, but the Fonatur source said there will only be 19 stations.

The project changed several times, and more might come in response to logistics and other problems. 

For example, Fonatur said in August that the US$417mn stretch three crossing Yucatán state will no longer feature a station at La Plancha in state capital Mérida, but on the outskirts of near Teya town.

“Stations and stops may change due to operational considerations,” Fonatur said on its website. 

List of Maya train stations according to official site:

Chiapas

• Palenque (Stretch 1)

Tabasco

• Boca del Cerro (Stretch 1)

• El Triunfo (Stretch 1)

Campeche

• Xpujil (Stretch 7)

• Escárcega (Stretch 2)

• Edzná (Stretch 2)

• San Francisco (Stretch 2)

Yucatán

• Mérida Aeropuerto (Stretch 3)

• Teya (Stretch 3)

• Izamal (Stretch 3)

• Chichen Itza (Stretch 4)

• Valladolid (Stretch 4)

Quintana Roo

• Nuevo Xcán (Stretch 4)

• Cancún Aeropuerto (Stretch 5 North)

• Puerto Morelos (Stretch 5 North)

• Playa del Carmen (Stretch 5 North)

• Tulum (Stretch 5 South)

• Tulum Aeropuerto (Stretch 5 South)

• Felipe Carrillo Puerto (Stretch 6)

• Bacalar (Stretch 6)

• Chetumal (Stretch 6)