Freight rail lines could be used to expand passenger services in Mexico – study

Although initial plans involved new rail tracks to expand passenger services in Mexico, existing lines for freight transport could also be used to reach the goal of deploying 3,400km for passengers.

That is the conclusion of pre-investment studies that began last year. However, analysis continues on whether freight tracks would become passenger lines, and, in future, use tracks the government will build outside populated areas, which would avoid the logistical challenges involved in passing through cities.

“We are evaluating where the trains will go, all the processes are being carried out. The terms of reference indicate what is being proposed, which are the bidding bases for the work,” infrastructure, communications and transport minister Jesús Esteva Medina was quoted as saying by El Financiero.

In the first tender package, the government published calls for studies on demand, social and urban impact, and legal and economic conditions for three of the announced sections.

Tenders for the demand studies for the first stage of the Mexico City-Querétaro, Querétaro-Irapuato and Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo links are underway and so far received 138 queries from consulting firms interested in participating in the analysis that will determine feasibility, according to El Financiero.

According to the tender specifications, the final proposals must be submitted on January 13 for each of the three sections overseen by the infrastructure, communications and transport ministry (SICT). The contract winners will have 105 calendar days to complete the studies.

The government estimates that the demand studies will require 115mn pesos (US$5.58mn).

The pre-investment studies, economic impact studies and other analyses for the Mexico City-Querétaro train were carried out during the Enrique Peña Nieto administration. In addition, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) recently paid for a study to evaluate the economic impact and feasibility of the project and included a package of investment studies.

However, the Claudia Sheinbaum administration, whose term started on October 1, decided to launch tenders for these studies again prior to the start of construction.

Legal precedent

At the end of October, the legislative branch approved a constitutional reform to allow the State to resume the right to use rail lines to provide passenger transport services.

At the time, the head of regulator ARTF, Andrés Lajous Loaeza, said that the new government started studies on the Mexico City-Pachuca train (105km), the Mexico City-Querétaro train (225km), for which studies began with the support of the defense ministry, and for cargo operations of the Maya train. 

Lajous said the constitutional reform covers rail lines both for passengers and freight, which are priority areas for national development under the constitution. He highlighted that, for this purpose, the executive may grant allocations to public companies or concessions to private individuals.

Schedule

SICT will build passenger rail projects in four stages. The first stage will begin this year and is due to conclude in 2026 and involve three projects for a combined 786km: the AIFA-Pachuca, Mexico City-Querétaro and Querétaro-Irapuato-Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo links.

The second phase will start in 2026 and end in 2027, and covers 910km of the Querétaro-San Luis Potosí, Irapuato-Guadalajara and Mazatlán-Los Mochis links.

The third stage should begin in 2027 and end in 2028. It comprises 1,145km and the San Luis Potosí-Saltillo, Guadalajara-Tepic, Los Mochis-Guaymas and Guaymas-Hermosillo lines.

The fourth stage covers 552km and the Tepic-Mazatlán and Hermosillo-Nogales sections. Construction is due to begin in 2028 and end in 2029.