Mexico City Doubles Light Rail Capacity Ahead of World Cup

Mexico City inaugurated the modernized El Ajolote Light Rail, adding 17 new trains to double daily capacity to 250,000 users and reduce waiting times from six to three minutes. The project strengthens electromobility and improves connectivity in the capital’s south ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Mexico City inaugurated the modernization of the Light Rail system, now branded as “El Ajolote,” a project authorities framed as both a mobility upgrade ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and a long-term investment in social equity for the capital’s southern boroughs.

The project includes the incorporation of 17 new trains, which will allow the system to double its passenger capacity from around 110,000 users per day to up to 250,000. Each new unit has a double-cabin configuration that increases capacity from 375 to 750 passengers per trip, according to the Mexico City government.

Mayor of Mexico City Clara Brugada says the modernization will reduce waiting times from six minutes to three minutes, improving service frequency for users traveling along the corridor that connects Taxqueña with Xochimilco. The route is particularly strategic for residents of Coyoacan, Tlalpan, and Xochimilco, as well as for visitors heading toward the area surrounding Estadio Banorte, one of the venues linked to Mexico City’s World Cup mobility plans.

The modernization was presented as one of the city’s major transport interventions before the tournament, but officials emphasize that the project is not limited to the World Cup. Brugada states the investment responds to a broader vision of “social justice” and dignified mobility for southern Mexico City, where thousands of residents depend on public transport for daily commutes.

Federal authorities echoed that framing. Jesús Esteva, Minister of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT), describes the modernization of “El Ajolote” as an act of social justice, arguing that the project strengthens the right to mobility, reduces travel times, expands access to cleaner transport, and improves quality of life for families in the city’s south.

The renovated Light Rail also forms part of Mexico City’s broader electromobility strategy. In April, the city announced over MX$5.1 billion (US$296.67 million) in transport and electromobility investments ahead of the World Cup, including new and upgraded infrastructure designed to improve daily commutes beyond the month-long tournament. The plan includes over 200km of new or renovated infrastructure and places electric transport at the center of the city’s public mobility strategy.

The project comes as demand for urban transport continues to recover and grow. Mexico’s urban transport systems recorded a 3.1% annual increase in ridership in February 2026, serving 238.5 million passengers nationwide. The Mexico City Metropolitan Area remained the country’s main mobility hub, transporting 174.1 million people during the month, while the Metro alone moved 98.6 million riders.

Against that backdrop, the modernization of “El Ajolote” addresses the immediate need to improve access and service quality for World Cup visitors, and the structural challenge of moving millions of residents through a system that remains central to daily life in the capital.

The project also reinforces a shift toward electric, high-capacity public transport as a tool for urban planning. By expanding frequency and passenger capacity on the Light Rail, the city aims to reduce congestion, improve connectivity, and leave behind infrastructure with value beyond the 2026 tournament.