Mexico's Urban Transport Ridership Grew 3.1% in February 2026

Mexico’s urban transport sector saw a 3.1% ridership increase in February 2026, driven by a 5.1% surge in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area despite critical maintenance deficits in the Metro. This development highlights a growing gap between rising demand and infrastructure stability, prompting the Mexico City government to allocate MX$50 billion for modernization ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The situation directly impacts the construction, logistics, and technology sectors, as policy shifts toward intensive capital investment and labor negotiations with the SNTSTC union.

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In February 2026, Mexico's urban transport systems served 238.5 million passengers, marking a 3.1% annual increase compared to the previous year, reports INEGI. Among the main transport systems in Mexico, Mexico City’s metro stood out for outpacing entire cities’ passenger metrics; however, maintenance and service deficiencies have surged.

According to INEGI’s Urban Passenger Transport Statistics (ETUP), these systems covered a combined distance of 44.1 million km, representing a 2.7% rise in service coverage over the same period.

Top Performing Subsystems by City

The growth was primarily driven by the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (ZMVM), which includes the 16 boroughs of Mexico City and surrounding municipalities in the State of Mexico. This region alone transported 174.1 million people, a quantity 5.1% superior to the same month in 2025. The distance covered by the capital's system reached 29.6 million km, an increase of 4.8% at an annual rate. 

Mexico City’s Metro remains the core of urban mobility, transporting 98.6 million passengers in February 2026, a 4.6% annual increase. The Metrobus followed as the second most utilized system with 33.4 million passengers, while the Passenger Transport Network (RTP) served 10.9 million people. The Cablebus system saw the highest growth rate in the capital, with ridership surging 17.6% to reach 4 million passengers.

In other regional hubs, performance was varied during February 2026. Monterrey recorded an annual increase of 1.8% with 12.3 million passengers transported, supported by a 5.6% increase in the travel covered by the system. The city’s transport network was led by the Metrorrey train system, which transported 7.8 million passengers, maintaining a stable volume with a slight 0.7% increase. The Transmetro subsystem followed with 4.5 million passengers, growing 3.6% annually as it continues to expand its reach. Following the administrative consolidation of ECOVIA into Transmetro in late 2024, these combined operations now represent the primary growth engine for Monterrey’s public transit coverage, which saw an 11.6% increase in total km traveled

Guadalajara saw 25.7 million passengers, representing a decrease of 1.7% at an annual rate, despite the system covered 5% more km than in February 2025. Guadalajara’s light rail continues to be the most significant subsystem, moving 13.8 million passengers, a 4.7% increase over the previous year. The bus-rapid transit (BRT) Mi Macro Periférico Troncal ranked second with 6.5 million passengers, though it saw an 8.9% decline compared to February 2025. The Macrobus Servicio Troncal followed with 2.5 million riders. A key development in the region was the Light Rail Integral System (SITREN), which experienced a 326.3% increase in ridership due to new routes implemented for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Other cities also showed contrasting trends, with Puebla and Queretaro seeing passenger numbers rise by 13% and 9.9%, respectively. In contrast, the city of Leon saw a sharp decline, with 13.7 million passengers marking an 11.3% decrease, while the distance completed by that system fell by 8.6%. Significant drops were also noted in Acapulco, Pachuca, and Chihuahua, which fell by 12%, 7.4%, and 5.7% in that order.

Mexico City’s Metro System

When compared individually, the Metro’s volume is even more pronounced, as it transported nearly four times as many people as Guadalajara’s entire network of 25.7 million and more than eight times the volume seen in Monterrey of 12.3 million.  

Despite its role as the primary pillar of urban mobility, the Mexico City Metro has faced a worsening operational crisis in early 2026. According to the National Union of Metro Workers (SNTSTC), out of a total fleet of 391 trains, only 68, approximately 17%, are considered in optimal condition. This shortage of rolling stock has led to systemic delays, extreme station overcrowding, and frequent mechanical failures across multiple lines. Union representatives cited a lack of basic supplies, inadequate tools, and poor labor conditions as the primary drivers of the crisis. 

Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada rejected accusations from the Metro union regarding a lack of maintenance, asserting that the system is the city's top mobility priority. She highlighted that nearly MX$50 billion (US$2.8 billion) has been allocated to the Metro between 2025 and 2026. Of this total, at least MX$1.5 billion was earmarked for works on Line 2 in preparation for the 2026 World Cup, while other funds have been prioritized for the remodeling of Line 1 and the upcoming renovation of Line 3.

Héctor García, Mexico City’s Minister of Mobility, stated that the city government is working to build agreements with the union to ensure permanent maintenance. García clarified that recent operational impacts were not due to a labor strike, but rather a refusal by employees to work extended hours. He added that the union is currently in agreement with the allocation of budgetary resources. Furthermore, Brugada emphasized that efforts are being made to maintain current fare prices while funding all necessary maintenance through the assigned budget.