MTT has launched the tender for studies for direct rail access between Santiago and Concepción

By the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications of Chile

This is a machine translation of the original press release issued in Spanish.

The project for a direct rail connection between Santiago and Concepción took a fundamental step. This is because the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications (MTT) published the tender for studies to review and analyze the best alternative for the potential construction of a new route between both capitals.

The study, commissioned by the Urban Road and Transport Program (Sectra), and with a cost of more than $1.26 billion, aims to propose rail connection alternatives that allow an efficient option for both passenger and freight services.

The above is based on the understanding that there is currently no rail service connecting Estación Central with the capital of the Biobío region. In fact, the closest service is the Chillán – Estación Central Train, a long-distance service that extends for 398 kilometers, and that does not have a direct connection between Chillán and Concepción, cities that are approximately 100 kilometers apart.

For the Minister of the Ministry of Transport, Juan Carlos Muñoz, this tender opens up a series of possibilities, because this railway project “must undoubtedly be one of the most important and strategic at the national level, since it would allow us not only to significantly improve passenger transport, but also to boost the economic activity of the Biobío region.”

“It is also undeniable that the area has enormous potential for connection with the ports and the Carriel Sur airport, arguments that we will study in detail, thanks to the tender. At the same time, it will represent a leap in quality for people who usually go to Concepción from Chillán, Talca, Santiago, improving the regional public transport system and consolidating a more robust and connected railway infrastructure in the country,” added the head of the portfolio.

More efficient alternative

In order to achieve the objective of advancing this initiative, the minister himself explained that the study includes the use of high-resolution satellite images of the Biobío and Ñuble regions, in order to review those places that allow the construction of a track that allows for the optimal layout, complying with environmental and railway regulations, in order to balance the social profitability of the project with other key factors for its viability, such as potential beneficiaries, or, to improve the travel times of train users.

Precisely, and within the various tasks of this tender, the socio-demographic characterization of the inhabitants will also be incorporated, addressing mobility diagnoses, available infrastructure, gaps or deficiencies in current transportation coverage, in addition to reviewing potential tariff analyses.

Potential connectivity with Carriel Sur and improved cargo transfer

Just as the tender is focused on improving passenger connectivity, the study also seeks to incorporate alternatives that will allow for the promotion of cargo transportation, especially in a region whose port activity represents 20% of the national total, such as Biobío.

In this sense, the potential railway line will also seek to analyze connections not only with the main ports in the area, but also to analyze a route that allows access to the Carriel Sur Airport sector, further enhancing commercial and logistical activity in the area.

Steps of the study

Finally, regarding the study, it should be noted that the tender will be published until September 23, in order to receive the largest number of bidders possible, hoping to be awarded in December of this year. In addition, it will incorporate, as part of the work of integration with the communities, citizen participation processes within various communes of Biobío and Ñuble.

As for its results, it is expected that the analysis will allow the generation of 4 layout alternatives at a conceptual level, of which one will be developed at an advanced pre-design level. Subsequently, this solution will have to be developed at a detailed engineering level.

The tender documents can be viewed here.