SICT Endorses Railway Projects Worth US$33 Billion

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) promoted 15 railway projects under its National Railway Program 2022, requiring a public-private investment of over US$33 billion. Among the main projects are the Mexico-Toluca Interurban Train and the Suburban Train’s extension to Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA). 

To improve the country's logistical capabilities and restore its passenger train system, SICT announced the 15 railway projects, of which six of them are under development, representing over 56 percent of the projects. Four projects are about to start and five are still in the planning phase. The government’s new Railway Plan will require an investment of US$33 billion and will add 4,400km to the existing railway system.

Unlike previous years, SICT will not retain control over all the projects. Instead, it will hand them over to the National Fund for Tourism Development (FONATUR), the Mexican Navy (SEMAR) and private companies. In the same vein, military engineers constructed the Suburban Train’s terminal and a track that links it to AIFA. SICT is responsible for the development of the Interurban Train and the Lecheria-AIFA Branch and will offer technical advice to the other projects.     

Mexico’s private sector is developing two projects, the Celaya Rail Bypass project, with an investment of over US$500 million, and the US$70 million Lobos de San Juan clearance for the Monterrey rail bypass. Both projects are carried out by Kansas City Southern.

As for the projects still to begin, SEMAR will develop the Roberto Ayala Dos Bocas station in Tabasco and revamp railway lines K and FA, which will further interconnect with the Interoceanic Corridor. The projects will require an investment of over US$300 million. Similarly, the Jalisco and Nuevo Leon governments will develop the US$450 million Light Rail System’s Line 4 and the US$1.2 billion García-Monterrey Rail Link, respectively. 

Projects in the planning phase are the US$5 billion Durango-Mazatlan Freight Train, which is to be developed by Caxxor Group and create the first Mexico-US-Canada corridor, and the US$2 billion Mexico-Queretaro-Leon Bajio Train, which aims to connect the State of Mexico with Guanajuato via Queretaro, proposed by consulting firm TMSourcing. Recently, resident López Obrador declared this project would be carried out by the coming administration. 

The passenger rail to connect Jalisco and Aguascalientes is expected to require an investment of over US$1 billion and will be managed by both local governments. There are still no records on the US$500 million Ramos Arizpe-Derramadero Train in Coahuila, nor regarding the Monterrey-San Antonio Link in Nuevo Leon.