SICT, Queretaro Agree to Speed Up Mexico-Queretaro Train Project

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) signed an agreement with the state government of Queretaro and the mayors of five municipalities to accelerate the release of the right-of-way for the Mexico-Queretaro railway project. The project is expected to immediately benefit over 30,000 people and over 5.6 million people. 

Carlos Alcaraz, Queretaro’s Minister of Interior, and Néstor Núñez, Director General of Relations, SICT, led the signing ceremony, aiming to establish a framework for coordinating actions related to the land acquisition necessary for the project. 

Núñez said that the signing of the collaboration agreement between SICT, the government of Queretaro, and municipalities in the state aims to advance the Mexico-Queretaro Train, announced by President Claudia Sheinbaum. He added that the return of passenger trains will offer an efficient, fast, and safe transportation alternative.

The mayors of Queretaro, Felipe Macías; San Juan del Rio, Roberto Cabrera; Colon, Gaspar Trueba; and Pedro Escobedo, Juan Alberto Nava; as well as María del Rosario León Giles, trustee of El Marques, also participated in the signing, as reported by Publimetro.

Macías reaffirmed his support for the project, stating that it will boost tourism and sustainable mobility in the state. Trueba highlighted that the infrastructure will improve urban and interurban mobility, connecting the main cities of the Bajio region with the center and north of the country. He noted that this effort is a significant step for Colon, a municipality known for its industrial development and for hosting Mexico's largest Aerospace Cluster (Aerocluster Queretaro). 

According to Proyectos México, the Mexico-Queretaro Train is expected to primarily benefit 30,000 people in 22 municipalities that travel between Queretaro and Mexico City. The train project will span 230.34km of railway lines, crossing through 21 municipalities, including San Juan del Rio, Pedro Escobedo, Colon, El Marques, and Queretaro. The infrastructure will include two main stations in Queretaro. While their official locations have not been disclosed, the Environmental Impact Assessment (MIA) considers the area of the Old Train Station for the capital of Queretaro and the town of Los Frailes for San Juan del Rio. Additionally, secondary stops are planned, including one near the Queretaro International Airport.

The project is anticipated to commence in April 2025, with an expected deadline for 2027 and the start of train operations in 2029. The project’s first phase will cover 225km, utilizing the existing right-of-way. The train fleet will consist of units capable of carrying 450 passengers and reaching a maximum speed of 160km/h. The estimated investment for this phase is MX$144 billion (US$7.1 billion), which will fund the construction of two exclusive passenger tracks. The anticipated travel time is one hour and 40 minutes. 

The project includes three main stations in Buenavista in Mexico City, San Juan del Rio, and Santiago de Queretaro, with the potential for additional stops in other towns along the route. Furthermore, the infrastructure will require the construction of 77 bridges, 12 tunnels, three viaducts, two bypasses, and two railway distributors to navigate the terrain and urban areas while minimizing impact on existing infrastructure.