Mexico
Country Details
Mexico: Federal Presidential Republic, United Mexican States, Estados Unidos Mexicanos [Spanish].
Language: Spanish (de facto) plus 68 indigenous languages.
Currency: Mexican Peso (MXN); $ or Mex$.
See Wikipedia
National Railway System
UIC code
alpha MX
Railway Operators
Link to Tren Maya (Spanish) with more information at Definitive Guide plus a Mayan Train unofficial site in English.
Ferromex is a private fright operator.
Timetable
- Online: unofficial timetable information is available at Fahrplancenter. Note that this may be out of date.
- Printed: summary timetables are available in some editions of the European Rail Timetable.
- Some Mayan Train Times and Ticket Prices are available for certain point to point journeys.
Information is available at the Man in Seat 61.
Maps
Web-based Maps
A Mexico City Subway Network Map.
Basic route maps for Tren Maya.
Infrastructure
Gauge
1435 mm (4 feet 8½ inches) Standard.
Electrification
- STC - Mexico City Metro; 1500 V DC, 3rd rail and overhead.
- SITEUR; 750 and 1500 V DC, overhead.
- STE; 750 V DC, overhead.
Tourist Lines
Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico (Chihuahua-Pacific Railway), also known as El Chepe; Chepe Express for 673 km from Los Mochis to Chihuahua City through Copper Canyon operated by Ferromex.
Metros
Sistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC) referred to as Mexico City Metro (site in Spanish) has 12 lines with 225 route km.
Sistema de Tren Eléctrico Urbano (SITEUR) Guadalajara Metropolitan area Metro (site in Spanish) has 3 lines and 47 route km.
Trams/LRT-Systems
Servicio de Transportes Eléctricos (STE), Xochimilco Light Rail (locally known as el Tren Ligero) (Site in Spanish) operates a 13 km light rail line in the southern part of Mexico City.
Recent and Future Changes
Recent Changes
The El Insurgente interurban commuter railway opened a second stage, from Lerma to Santa Fe, on 31 August 2024, with the final stage due to open in December 2024.
Tren Maya openings in 2024;
- Playa del Carmen - Felipe Carrillo Puerto - 20 September 2024.
- Cancún Airport - Playa del Carmen - 29 February 2024.
Tren Maya/Mayan Train paused public operations [and ticket sales], from 28 December 2023 to 31 December 2023, before the full 860 km Cancún (Aeropuerto) - Palenque section opened 1 January 2024 with an inaugural run on 31 December 2023 for invited guests.
Tren Maya (Tsiímin K'aák) was officially opened on 15 December 2023 with public services on the 473 km from San Francisco de [S.F.] Campeche to Cancún (Aeropuerto) on 16 December 2023. Tickets are on sale at Tren Maya e-tickets for trips on the Palenque - S.F. Campeche - Cancún (Aeropuerto) section but only for up to about a week in advance of travel.
Future Changes
- The 1,525 km (948 mile) Tren Maya (Tsiímin K'aák)/ Mayan Train, serving the Yucatan peninsula, is opening in stages from 15 December 2023. Construction began in June 2020.
The railway will run from Palenque in Chiapas state northeast towards the major tourist destination of Cancún in Quintana Roo state. There are two routes, encircling the peninsula along its north and east coasts. It aims to connect tourist destinations in the Caribbean with lesser-known sites inland, including historic Mayan sites from which it derives its name. Eventually it will serve 34 stations.
- An announcement by the incoming President in September 2024 commits to three new railway corridors for passenger services.
- A 65km line is planned from Mexico City's Felipe Ángeles International Airport to Pachuca, northeast of Mexico City. This service would be built on an entirely new alignment and is expected to serve eight municipalities in the densely populated area around Mexico City. It would be an extension of the 20 km greenfield line that is currently under construction between FAIA and Lecheria; this is scheduled to be inaugurated in late 2024. The line to FAIA and Pachuca will branch off at Lecheria from the main line that links the Buenavista railway station in Mexico City with Cuautitlan.
- An existing freight line will connect Mexico City with Irapuato and Guadalajara, a distance of 581km. The Mexico City – Queretaro section would be shared with services to Nuevo Laredo.
- Another existing freight line will link Mexico City with Nuevo Laredo on the border with the USA via San Luis Potosi and Monterrey, a distance of 1143 km.
Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services
See Mexico - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services.
