The Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) announced that the new passenger train line will connect Mexico City with Querétaro and Guanajuato and will begin operations in 2028. The project will have a total investment of 217 billion pesos (10.585 billion dollars) and will be carried out in two strategic sections covering more than 330 kilometers. According to official data from the Regulatory Agency for Railway Transport (ARTF), part of the SICT, it is expected to benefit nearly 9 million people and generate more than 260,000 direct jobs in the central and Bajío regions.
At an event led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, the head of the ARTF, Andrés Lajous Loaeza, detailed that construction will begin next July, with an estimated completion date by the end of 2027 and a launch in 2028 on a double track exclusive for passenger trains. Trains capable of reaching speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour will be used to reduce travel times for users.
"We are confident that by the end of 2027, we will see this train operating. That will allow us to reach Irapuato," Lajous commented. He highlighted that the Mexican Army will lead the construction of this new railway route, with the support of other government agencies.
Regarding the project details, an investment of 144 billion pesos (around 7.024 billion dollars) is expected for the Mexico City-Querétaro route, which will cover 225 kilometers and present a travel time of almost two hours. Planned stops include Buenavista in Mexico City, a key interconnection point with other means of transport, as well as the cities of Tula, San Juan del Río, and Querétaro.
For the second section Querétaro-Irapuato, an investment of 73 billion pesos (3.561 billion dollars) is projected for a double track of 110 kilometers that will connect the main cities of Querétaro and Guanajuato, such as Celaya, Salamanca, and Irapuato, with a 30% reduction in travel times.
The expected impact and benefits of the CDMX-Querétaro-Guanajuato train are significant. The train is expected to serve a demand of 8.6 million people, of which 6.5 million will benefit from the Mexico City-Querétaro section and three million from the Querétaro-Irapuato section. Additionally, the generation of 268,000 jobs is anticipated; 99,000 direct and 169,000 indirect.
Among the advantages of the passenger train service are the economic benefits, the increase in connectivity between the central and Bajío regions of the country, the reduction of congestion on the roads, faster trips, and greater safety in movements. It is also mentioned that there will be a reduction in the carbon footprint with collective and clean transportation, as well as improvements in travel experience and comfort for users.
