ARTF Unveils New Safety Rules to Support Expanding Rail Network

Mexico has introduced a comprehensive regulatory framework to bolster safety in the construction of passenger train infrastructure that operates alongside active freight railways, marking a major step forward in the country’s rail modernization strategy. The new Guidelines for Safety in Passenger Train Operations Coexisting with Freight Trains, issued by the Regulatory Agency for Railway Transport (ARTF), aim to standardize construction practices, prevent operational disruptions, and protect both workers and rail crews.

Published in the Federal Commission for Regulations Improvement (COFEMER), the guidelines were developed in response to the growing overlap between passenger rail projects and existing freight concessions. Until now, Mexico lacked standardized protocols for how construction personnel should operate near active freight lines, a regulatory gap the ARTF says posed “significant operational and safety risks” that could endanger personnel and interrupt cargo operations.

A central element of the regulation is the creation of Safety Coordination Personnel, specialized supervisors responsible for managing security actions within construction zones located in freight corridors. Their responsibilities include overseeing work within safety clearance areas, ordering the removal of personnel and machinery when a freight train approaches, coordinating directly with freight concessionaires, and ensuring the implementation of all traffic control documents, such as track access mandates and traffic bulletins.

To qualify, these supervisors must undergo training validated by the freight concessionaire or an approved third party. Construction companies must then submit extensive documentation, health certificates, identification, toxicology tests, to the ARTF for review before accreditation is granted. Only after this process can these specialists legally operate within shared corridors.

Standardized Safety Practices for All Construction Zones

The guidelines also impose strict requirements on construction companies working near freight rail operations. These include:

• Daily appointment of a dedicated safety supervisor

• Clearly marked pedestrian routes and physical protective barriers

• Prohibition of workers standing on or between tracks or crossing in front of moving equipment

• Mandatory authorization from Safety Coordination Personnel and the freight concessionaire before entering safety zones

Uniform signaling protocols, such as the use of flags, night illumination indicators, and protective fencing, are now mandatory, and all temporary signs and safety devices must remain unobstructed and in optimal condition.

The ARTF will be responsible for oversight and enforcement. Violations may lead to administrative sanctions outlined in the Railway Service Regulatory Law, and in serious cases, potential civil or criminal consequences. These rules take effect the day after their publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF).

National Rail Expansion

The new framework comes as Mexico undertakes one of the largest rail infrastructure expansions in its modern history. According to Andrés Lajous, Head, ARTF, the current administration is investing MX$1.31 trillion (US$68.44 billion) to add 3,400km of railway nationwide, MBN reports.

For 2025 alone, the government announced MX$157 billion (US$7.6 billion) to expand passenger rail routes and adapt the Mayan Train for cargo operations, an initiative expected to create 70,000 direct and 140,000 indirect jobs. By April 2025, authorities confirmed that this budget would support 774km of new passenger rail construction, 70 km of cargo rail for the Mayan Train, and 170km for the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT).

A New Legal Framework

On July 16, 2025, President Claudia Sheinbaum published a decree reforming five laws that govern the country’s railway and transport systems. The reform forms part of a broader package of eleven presidential decrees affecting telecommunications, digital identity, and national security.

One of the most significant changes is the creation of the Agency for Trains and Integrated Public Transport (ATTRAPI), a decentralized body under the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transport (SICT). ATTRAPI will be responsible for planning, constructing, maintaining, and operating railway infrastructure; granting permits; and attracting public and private investment. This centralization gives the government stronger control over how the national network expands.

The decree also strengthens the role of the ARTF, which will oversee operators, enforce safety and quality standards, promote railway interconnectivity, and regulate both freight and passenger services. The goal is to reduce operational asymmetries and eliminate loopholes that previously weakened enforcement.

Crucially, the reform designates passenger railway transport as a national priority, a significant shift in a system historically dominated by freight. Passenger trains are now recognized as strategic tools for public mobility, regional cohesion, and sustainable transportation.

Additional changes include the introduction of new legal categories (concession, assignment, authorization, project manager), updated financial references using the Unit of Measurement and Update (UMA), and new obligations requiring operators to hold insurance and financial guarantees. Non-compliance with safety, environmental, or permit requirements can result in fines ranging from one to 169 UMAs, reports MBN.