The government of Mexico put into operation this Monday the final stage of the Interurban Train 'El Insurgente', after nearly 12 years since the start of its construction and a total investment of 100 billion pesos. The project, which accumulated delays and cost overruns, began in 2014. It connects the State of Mexico, Toluca (with over 2 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area), with the west of Mexico City through the mountains that separate these two cities. On February 2nd, the final section of the 'El Insurgente' train was inaugurated by President Claudia Sheinbaum, the head of government of Mexico City, Clara Brugada, and the governor of the State of Mexico, Delfina Gómez. It is expected that the train will transport more than 230,000 passengers per day. With the opening of section III, 8.4 kilometers long, the train completed a total route of 57.7 kilometers, with seven stations: four in the State of Mexico (Zinacantepec, Toluca Centro, Metepec, and Lerma) and three in the capital (Santa Fe, Vasco de Quiroga, and Observatorio), as detailed in a press conference by the head of the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency, Andrés Lajous. The complete journey, whose inauguration was planned for 2023, is estimated at about 50 minutes, with a scheduled frequency of five to seven minutes between trains. The Secretary of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT), Jesús Antonio Esteva, pointed out that the system will operate with up to 20 trains, with a maximum capacity of 719 passengers per unit, and speeds that, in its initial phase, reach 120 kilometers per hour and eventually up to 160 kilometers per hour, with an average of 90 kilometers per hour. The fare for this service will be variable by distance, between 15 and 100 pesos (between $0.83 and $5.56), and the Observatorio–Toluca route was set at 90 pesos ($5). The immediate connectivity includes a link with Metro Line 1 at Observatorio and with Cablebús Line 3 at Vasco de Quiroga; in addition, a subsequent integration is planned with Metro Line 12, the center and modal transfer station (Cetram) Observatorio, and the West Bus Terminal. As pending issues, authorities indicated that in the second half of 2026, a tunnel and the access to the definitive Cetram will be completed to consolidate the direct connection with the Metro, replacing current provisional schemes. The work began under the government of former President Enrique Peña Nieto (2012-2018), was resumed by his successor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024); and is now concluded under the administration of Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office in October 2024.
