Introduction
In Mexico, a significant passenger rail network project is underway between Pachuca and Nuevo Laredo, marking the largest investment in over half a century. The Secretariats of Defense and Infrastructure have confirmed the project’s progress, albeit unevenly. Currently, 787 kilometers of tracks are being built, and technical studies for an additional 1,336 kilometers are in development. This amounts to over two thousand kilometers of passenger trains, a figure unseen since the 1960s when railways lost priority from the state.
Project Progress
The most advanced segment is the Ciudad de México–Pachuca line, with 9.1% completion, ten workfronts, and over eight thousand direct jobs. Construction of columns, containment walls, and drainage works has begun in Lechería, Tizayuca, and Jagüey de Téllez viaducts. Although percentages remain low due to fiscal deficit reduction, which postponed biddings and slowed execution during the second half of the year, 2026 is expected to be an acceleration year with increased resources for completing segments and acquiring trains.
The CDMX–Querétaro line, 226 km long, has progressed 4.8%, with fourteen active workfronts, vehicle bridges, fills, and geotechnical studies in San Juan del Río. Although these numbers aren’t spectacular, they represent the tangible start of a network once considered impossible.
System’s Core and Future Expansion
Buenavista will be the heart of the system, origin and central station of the former Mexican Railway. Lines will converge from Buenavista towards Pachuca, Querétaro, and Irapuato, connecting to the AIFA and the capital’s integrated mobility network. Andenes, vestibules, and workshops will be reconfigured to create a modern multimodal node preserving historical right-of-way rights and reducing approach times. In the medium term, the Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo route (398 km) will be added, linking the center to the northern border with planned biddings between this month and January 2026.
Fleet Development
The fleet is also advancing. Chinese company CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive will manufacture 15 trains for the CDMX–Pachuca corridor, accommodating over 700 passengers with ergonomic seats and universal accessibility. Additionally, a bidding for 47 more trains, with a maximum speed of 200 km/h, intended for CDMX–Irapuato and Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo routes, has been announced. The verdict is expected in the coming November, with the first train arriving in the last quarter of 2026.
Coordination and Challenges
Collaboration between Defense, the Railway Ferroviary Regulatory Agency (ARTF), and Communications is crucial. Basic engineering studies have surpassed 94%, and biddings for stations and workshops are soon to be published. The challenge lies not in technical aspects but financial ones: maintaining budget continuity and avoiding cost overruns that have hindered other railway projects.
Conclusion
After decades of neglect, Mexico is reinvesting in its future with passenger trains. These are not mere nostalgia but a bet on efficient, electric, and less polluting mobility that will significantly reduce traffic and emissions in the most populated corridors. If promises are kept, journeys between CDMX, Querétaro, and Monterrey could soon cease to depend on cars, buses, or airplanes. However, construction must accelerate faster than the rhetoric to make this vision a reality.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the project’s scope? The largest passenger rail network investment in Mexico in over half a century, spanning 2,123 kilometers.
- What is the current progress? The Ciudad de México–Pachuca line is the most advanced, with 9.1% completion and over eight thousand direct jobs created.
- What are the future plans? The Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo route will be added, linking the center to the northern border.
- What about the fleet? Chinese company CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive will manufacture 15 trains for the CDMX–Pachuca corridor, with more to follow.
- What challenges does the project face? The main challenge is financial, ensuring budget continuity and avoiding cost overruns.
