SICT, Coahuila Sign Right-of-Way Deal for New Rail Corridor

SICT signed an agreement with the Government of Coahuila and the municipalities of Saltillo and Ramos Arizpe to accelerate the release of right-of-way for the Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo passenger rail project. The framework sets responsibilities to streamline permitting, manage land negotiations, and address social or security risks that could delay construction, aligning with the federal push to restart intercity passenger rail.

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) has formalized a coordination agreement with the Government of Coahuila and the municipalities of Saltillo and Ramos Arizpe to accelerate the release of right-of-way needed to build the Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo passenger rail project, one of the federal government’s priority commitments for 2024–2030.

Published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) on March 3, the framework agreement lays out how the three levels of government will coordinate land acquisition, permitting, and social conflict resolution along the corridor. It arrives as the rail program’s procurement pipeline continues to move, including new tenders around Monterrey, but also a setback: authorities declared void a tender to design and build four stations in Coahuila and Nuevo Leon after none of the bids met the technical and economic requirements. 

The DOF-published agreement sets the legal and operational basis for releasing right-of-way for tracks, yards, and terminals for the Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo passenger service.

Under the document, all parties commit to:

• Maintaining close intergovernmental coordination

• Producing monthly progress reports on obligations and actions

• Sharing information under data-protection safeguards

• Coordinating responses to social conflicts that could block right-of-way release

The agreement also specifies division of responsibilities. SICT will lead procedures tied to the final alignment, including compiling case files documenting negotiations with lawful landowners and occupants, and receiving locally controlled properties that fall within the definitive project trace, subject to the required legal authorizations.

The Government of Coahuila commits to facilitating the process through measures such as potential waivers or discounts on duties or contributions linked to legal actions for right-of-way release, and to pursuing reasonable reductions in response times for state-level procedures needed for the project. The municipalities make parallel commitments at the local level, including administrative simplification, supporting relocations tied to land clearance, and coordinating permitting within their jurisdictions.

Security and continuity provisions are also built in. Both the state and municipalities agree to support actions to prevent already-cleared parcels from being invaded and to help safeguard personnel working on negotiations and right-of-way procedures.

Station Procurement Setback, Four-Station Tender Declared Void

While the right-of-way framework aims to reduce friction off the construction site, procurement remains uneven. A tender to design and build four stations for the Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo passenger train was declared void after six bids failed to satisfy the full set of technical and economic requirements, according to industry reporting. The affected stations were Derramadero, Saltillo, Ramos Arizpe, and Garcia.

The Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo project is designed as a 396.3km, double-track, non-electrified line with a maximum design speed of 200km/h, according to Proyectos México. The same project sheet lists an estimated investment of US$9.1 billion, using the exchange rate assumption shown on the platform).

Proposed stations and stops include Derramadero, Saltillo Centro, Ramos Arizpe, Garcia, Las Torres, Salinas Victoria, Bustamante, Lampazos, Anahuac, and Nuevo Laredo.

A February briefing deck on passenger rail progress also places the corridor inside the “Trenes del Norte” package and flags an estimated demand of 20,000 passengers per day on Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo.

Even with the four-station package voided, other procurement components are moving. Proyectos México lists multiple open or near-term processes tied to the corridor, including:

• Segment A1 (8.854km) in Monterrey’s metro area, with a decision date shown as March 9

• Segment A2 (9.204km) in the Monterrey metro area, with proposals due April 15

• A systems package for rail systems, with a decision date shown as March 9

• A separate tender for auxiliary rail buildings (workshops, inspection and maintenance bases), with proposals due March 30

The passenger-rail progress deck similarly highlights a March 31 decision date for signaling, control, and telecommunications, and shows additional station calls for the Nuevo Leon–Tamaulipas portion of the route, including Las Torres, Salinas Victoria, Bustamante, Lampazos, Anahuac, and Nuevo Laredo.