Rail Projects Anchor Infrastructure Agenda: Sheinbaum

During her second-year celebration, Claudia Sheinbaum highlighted Mexico’s rail agenda, including operating lines, new passenger corridors, and Mayan Train freight operations.

President Claudia Sheinbaum highlighted rail development as part of the federal government’s infrastructure agenda during her report marking two years since the start of the administration. She referred to passenger and freight rail projects as part of the administration’s public works program, which includes mobility, connectivity, and regional development initiatives.

During her speech, Sheinbaum reviewed several infrastructure projects currently in operation, under construction, or planned. Among them, she mentioned the Mayan Train, the Toluca-Observatorio section of El Insurgente, the Lecheria-AIFA rail connection, and the passenger rail corridors included in the government’s national rail program.

Sheinbaum said the Mayan Train has transported 2.5 million passengers. The project, developed during the previous administration, continues to operate as part of the federal passenger rail network in southeastern Mexico. In addition to passenger service, the federal government has advanced plans to incorporate freight operations into the system.

The Mayan Train has already begun locomotive testing for freight operations, MBN reports. The tests are part of the process to add cargo services to the project, which the federal government has presented as a component of its rail and logistics strategy in the southeast.

Sheinbaum also referred to the inauguration of the Toluca-Observatorio section of El Insurgente, a passenger rail project connecting the State of Mexico with Mexico City. The line is part of the government’s mobility works in the Valley of Mexico and seeks to improve rail service between both entities.

She also mentioned the Lecheria-AIFA rail connection. The Buenavista-AIFA Suburban Train began operations with a travel time of just over 50 minutes between Mexico City and Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), reports MBN. The project connects the capital with the airport and forms part of the federal government’s infrastructure works linked to AIFA.

Another project included in the administration’s rail program is the Mexico City-Pachuca Train, which extends the AIFA corridor toward Hidalgo and reached 30% completion in April 2026, reports MBN. The project is intended to connect Hidalgo, the State of Mexico, and Mexico City through passenger rail service.

The federal government has said Mexico will build at least 2,377km of new public passenger rail during Sheinbaum’s six-year term. The program includes several corridors: AIFA-Pachuca, Mexico City-Queretaro, Queretaro-Irapuato, Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo, Querétaro-Guadalajara, and Salina Cruz-Ciudad Hidalgo. These projects form part of the administration’s passenger rail plan. According to the federal government, the new lines are intended to expand public transport options and connect different regions of the country through rail infrastructure.

The Mexico City-Queretaro and Queretaro-Irapuato routes are among the projects planned for central Mexico. These corridors would pass through one of the country’s main industrial regions, where manufacturing, logistics, and urban mobility are relevant components of infrastructure planning.

The Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo route is planned for northern Mexico. The corridor would connect Coahuila with Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, one of the country’s main border crossings for trade with the United States. The project is included in the federal passenger rail program announced by the administration.

In southern Mexico, the Salina Cruz-Ciudad Hidalgo route is also part of the rail plan. The corridor would be developed in a region where the federal government has promoted several infrastructure projects, including works related to the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

Sheinbaum’s report also included references to other infrastructure works beyond rail. The administration has presented passenger rail as one of its main infrastructure priorities. The program follows rail works developed during the previous federal administration and continues with new projects under Sheinbaum’s government.

The execution of these projects will require coordination among federal agencies, state governments, contractors, and other stakeholders involved in construction and operation. As with other large-scale infrastructure works, timelines, permits, budget allocation, right-of-way processes, and technical planning will be part of the development process.

For Mexico’s infrastructure sector, the president’s remarks confirm that rail will remain part of the federal public works agenda. The projects mentioned by Sheinbaum include operating systems, lines under construction, and corridors included in the government’s passenger rail plan.

If completed according to the federal program, the new rail projects would expand Mexico’s public passenger rail network during the current administration. The government has also included freight components in specific projects, including the Mayan Train, as part of its broader infrastructure and logistics agenda.