The Suburban Train that currently runs from Buenavista to Cuautitlán, and which will reach the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) starting next Sunday , will be operated 100% by the Mexican government, after the purchase of shares from the concessionaire Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) , of Spanish origin; and Omnitren, of Mexico, for five billion 999.23 million pesos (mdp) .
Jorge Mendoza Sánchez, general director of the National Bank of Public Works and Services (Banobras) , specified that CAF had a shareholding of 43.4% and Omnitren of 7.6% of said transport system.
“With this, the Mexican State now has 100% of the shareholding in this train, that is, it passes from private hands to the hands of the people of Mexico,” he said during his participation in the morning conference this Thursday.
He stated that this train has become relevant for the current federal administration because it will connect the different passenger rail projects to the AIFA, as well as the AIFA-Pachuca and those in the north of the country that will pass through Querétaro.
He explained that the amount derives from the concession granted to both companies, as well as the evaluation carried out through the Institute of Administration and Appraisals of National Assets (Indaabin) , so the Suburban Train will also be a majority state-owned company.
Mendoza recalled that the Suburban Train began operations in 2008 and has seven stations running from Buenavista in Mexico City to Cuautitlán in the State of Mexico. Through the National Infrastructure Fund ( Fonadin) , which held 49% of the shares before the agreement, resources totaling 11.201 billion pesos were allocated, along with financing from Banobras for 2.5 billion pesos (from 2005 to the present) .
“It was very important to reach an agreement with the companies so that the Mexican government could take control of the asset; we are going to ensure that this train is managed in the most efficient way,” Mendoza Sánchez said.
He specified that the train will be operated by Fonadin , which is also in charge of the El Insurgente train, which runs from Observatorio to Toluca. “We are creating a company that could take more control of these trains,” he noted.
Similarly, he announced that they will seek to make access to the system through the Integrated Mobility card , and that the fares will remain the same: short trip for 11.50 pesos and long trip for 26.50 pesos.
Meanwhile, for the expansion to AIFA, during its first month of operation it will have a promotional rate of 11.50 pesos and the full rate for 45 pesos , although it was estimated that it will be lower than other transports.
Claudia Sheinbaum, president of Mexico, explained that to avoid problems in the operation of the new trains, the decision was made to purchase the Suburban Train, which will be called “Felipe Ángeles ,” so that the network can be operated publicly.
Comment and follow us on LinkedIn: @Evangelina del Toro / @GrupoT21
