During the construction of the Mexico-Querétaro and AIFA-Pachuca trains alone, 14,500 interferences have been recorded , including limited rights of way and encroachment by populations, which is why agreements and a new regulatory framework for carrying out these projects are being hampered.

General Gustavo Ricardo Vallejo Suárez, commander of the Felipe Ángeles Engineering Group , explained that other interferences include level crossings, pedestrian crossings, medium and high voltage transmission lines, gas lines, pipelines, cross drainage works, and water .

“We’re working in very complicated environments on rights-of-way that are already limited and also encroached upon. These are small rights-of-way, where residential gates have already encroached upon the right. What do we have to do? We can’t build the type of embankment structure we’re familiar with with the natural boundary. We have to build channels and formwork, and we have to go uphill with concrete walls to allow entry to the premises, and that poses additional challenges,” he emphasized.

During his participation in the 22nd edition of ExpoRail , organized by the Mexican Association of Railways (AMF) , he indicated that in light of this scenario, together with the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF) , he is working on new agreements and a new regulatory framework with safety factors and high technology, in order to achieve more effective coexistence for passenger and freight trains, as well as for those who live near the tracks.

Similarly, he mentioned that another challenge is environmental , since they will not fragment ecosystems through coexistence, mitigation, compensation, and other work.

“One thing we learned with the Mayan Train is to build without destroying. Wherever we go, we find remains, and what we must do is prospect, inspect, cover, and review them, and if they’re important, even change the route,” he explained.

Vallejo said they expect to encounter other challenges during the construction of these projects , since the road is saturated with residential and industrial areas, which have laredos or railroad spurs.

“What we’re doing is moving the passenger train to one side and then returning it across viaducts, and all of this is costing resources, but it’s to respect the operational efficiency of freight operators,” he emphasized.

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The Mexican automotive industry faces a challenging environment following the imposition of 25% tariffs on vehicles imported by the United States and manufactured in Mexico, which has impacted the sector’s mixed results in the first quarter of 2025 (1Q25), estimated the Monex Financial Group , which considered that the risk balance remains biased downwards due to the American Union’s protectionist and tariff policies.

In its Sector Analysis: Automotive Industry , Monex indicated that this could impact the close interdependence of supply chains, particularly due to the slowdown in the Mexican economy.

“Going forward, the announcement of possible bilateral negotiations will be crucial, given the high share of Mexican automotive content in U.S. market sales,” the institution emphasized.

According to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) , in March, light vehicle production grew 12.1% annually, reaching 338,669 units , while in the accumulated total to 1Q25, manufacturing increased 4.8% compared to the same period in 2024.

Meanwhile, exports grew 3.8% annually in the third month of 2025; however, in the quarterly comparison, shipments abroad fell 6% compared to the same period last year.

Meanwhile, domestic sales of light vehicles reached 127,352 units in March 2025, and in the first quarter of this year, vehicle sales registered a 3.3% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

Regarding heavy vehicles,  13,512 units were manufactured in March , while from January to March 2025 production reached  41,311 units , which meant a 21.8% annual drop.

In the third quarter of 2025, heavy vehicle exports fell 24.9% year-on-year, while in the first quarter of the year, exports of these vehicles registered a 19.7% decrease compared to the same period in 2024.

These data reflect mixed signals for the Mexican automotive industry for both light and heavy vehicles, in addition to the tariff imposition promoted by US President Donald Trump .

According to Monex, this is compounded by the pressure exerted by the U.S. government itself on American automakers with operations in Mexico to return their production to the United States.

“These measures represent a direct threat to Mexican exports, which reached a record 3.5 million units in 2024. Given this scenario, the sector could face a significant slowdown, considering that 79.7% of national production was destined for the US market,” he added.

The new tariff could increase the unit price that American consumers will have to pay, which would impact vehicle demand, the financial institution predicted.

“In parallel, assembly plants established in Mexico are evaluating adjustments to their supply chains to increase regional content and ensure their eligibility for the exemption, underscoring the critical importance of compliance with the trade agreement’s rules of origin,” the financial institution stated.

Monex’s analysis adds to forecasts by Fitch Ratings , which changed its outlook for the global automotive sector from “neutral” to “deteriorated” for 2025, as it estimated that the U.S. tariff measure will lead to production cuts and increased costs.

The rating agency said this could put pressure on the profitability of automakers and their free cash flow in the short term, and noted that the tariffs represent a significant risk for automakers that import vehicles manufactured in Mexico, Canada, Japan, Korea, and Germany to the United States.

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The federal government announced that construction will begin this weekend on the Maya freight train in Yucatán and the Mexico-Querétaro train.

“On Saturday, we’ll signal the start of the train to Progreso , the Maya Train freight line that runs from the current line to Progreso, in Yucatán. On Sunday, we’ll go to Querétaro because we’ll also signal the start of the Mexico-Querétaro Train, which is already beginning construction under the direction of the Ministry of National Defense,” explained Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico.

For its part, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) reported that the new passenger rail projects will connect more than 49 million people.

The proposed National Railway Plan will provide better connections for residents of the six metropolitan areas, 11 municipal metropolises, and 19 metropolitan areas through which the new rail routes will operate.

“The significance of the national railway project will be a key driver for regional economic development, with the potential to generate up to one million jobs in the country, significantly improving the population’s quality of life,” according to the initiative submitted by the Federal Executive to Congress.

It is worth mentioning that the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF) detailed through the National Railway Plan that this year it began construction of more than three thousand kilometers of passenger tracks , which will connect Mexico City with Nuevo Laredo and Nogales.

In the first phase, four routes are planned: Mexico City-Pachuca, Mexico City-Querétaro, Querétaro-Irapuato, and Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo.

To this end, the right to use railways to provide public passenger transport services will be reinstated. “Since the sector was granted a concession in 1997, it has focused on freight services.”

“Under the current government, we seek to continue and accelerate the implementation of public passenger rail services, tripling the number of operational kilometers recovered between 2018 and 2024,” the initiative highlights.

Among the benefits, SICT noted, are reduced travel time between towns , greater safety on journeys, improved quality of life for the population, and a reduced carbon footprint.

It’s worth remembering that construction of the Mexico-Pachuca train began last March. The next steps will be the Querétaro-Irapuato train and the Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo train, which will begin in July. These four routes in the first package will total approximately 786 km.

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El cargo The government will begin construction of the Maya Train for freight and the Mexico-Querétaro train. apareció primero en T21.

Hybrid trains have become one of the Mexican government’s major initiatives to launch passenger rail transport in the country. Currently, the Maya Train uses this model, and plans are for electric trains running on the Mexico-Querétaro and Mexico-Pachuca routes. This technology not only saves fuel but is also a good option given the impossibility of having overhead lines along the entire route.

Carlos Barreda Westphal, director of the Ferroviaria.mx platform , comments that for passenger rail projects, especially on medium to long routes, such as the one that will run from Buenavista to Querétaro and its continuation to Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo, the use of trains hauled by hybrid diesel and electric locomotives allows compatibility with freight tracks.

“These trains would be similar to those used by the Interoceanic Railway, which would not require the installation of catenaries and whose operation would be compatible with the type of infrastructure currently used by freight railways. This would allow for a significant reduction in construction times and costs. The use of electricity as a driving force reduces rolling stock maintenance costs in the medium and long term, in addition to being much more environmentally friendly,” he explained in an interview with T21.

He points out that this type of rail infrastructure is currently used in the United States and Canada for most of their intercity passenger rail networks, and its technology would allow it to be reconfigured for the exclusive use of biofuels.

Maite Ramos, general director of Alstom Mexico , explains that a bimodal train has an electric or diesel engine , and in the absence of catenary along the entire section, it is a good option. In addition, one of the advantages is the adaptation to any type of infrastructure.

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It’s worth mentioning that last February, the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF) only released the amount excluding VAT, a total of 144 billion pesos.

However, total spending is 121.3% higher than the initial budget of 75 billion pesos (mmdp) , an amount released a few months ago by the federal government.

According to project data released by the SHCP, 663 million 790 thousand pesos will be used for pre-investment studies, including VAT, and included only for evaluation purposes. The total cost will include operating and maintenance expenses over 30 years of 1 million 512 thousand 084 pesos excluding VAT in the first year, which will continue to increase each period, among other additional works.

He explained that the project will extend 226.44 kilometers, with a travel time of approximately one hour and 50 minutes, and the trains will run at speeds between 177 and 200 km/h. It will consist primarily of two tracks and diesel-electric traction.

He said that once the demand and functionality of the stops are defined, operational and service projections will be made, taking into account peak hour service intervals (every 15 minutes), passenger capacity per unit (350-500 passengers) , speed, and operating hours from 5:00 a.m. to midnight. The route is expected to handle 9,937,276 passengers by 2027.

It will largely utilize existing right-of-way on the A, B, Juárez, and Morelos tracks of the Mexican Railway System, as well as new right-of-way at certain points required to provide an optimized layout.

The Mexico-Querétaro route has four lines for freight rail transport: lines A, B, Juárez, and Morelos. Ferrovalle operates these lines from Buenavista to Huehuetoca, State of Mexico. From Huehuetoca onward, each line has its own unique characteristics.

The Juárez line is under concession to Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) of Mexico for its entire route from Huehuetoca, including its passage through the city of Querétaro. Similarly, Line B is operated by Ferromex from Huehuetoca to Querétaro.

On the other hand, the Morelos line belongs to CPKC starting in Huehuetoca, but is then operated by Ferromex within Querétaro. As for Line A, Ferrosuroperates it from Huehuetoca for approximately 82 km to Tula de Allende, Hidalgo, where its first section ends. The second section begins shortly before San Juan del Río, Querétaro, and covers approximately 45 km, operated by CPKC. It is worth noting that the first 20 km of this section are unused.

The project route runs through Mexico City, the State of Mexico, Hidalgo and Querétaro, starting near the existing Buenavista station in Mexico City and heading towards the municipality of Querétaro, passing through three intermediate stations .

The document specifies that despite their similarities, two construction alternatives were evaluated, each presenting different operational, construction, and cost complexities.

Given the evaluation of these points, Alternative 2 was determined to be the most viable, reducing transfer times, lowering construction, operation and costs by 30% and not damaging archaeological sites .

He specified that the ARTF is in the process of acquiring the remaining properties to complete the release of the right of way , which requires the resources that will be allocated for the investment project.

He also stated that the project’s technical feasibility is 90% complete, while the legal feasibility is 95% complete, as well as the economic feasibility, and the demand studies are 90%. He also assured that the corresponding steps have been taken to submit the Environmental Impact Statement and the project’s requirements to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in a timely manner .

It should be noted that the Annexes containing the technical, legal, and economic studies and cost-benefit analysis calculations for the Mexico-Querétaro Passenger Train project were reserved for five years, until March 13, 2030, “as long as the reasons that led to their reservation remain valid.”

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El cargo Investment for the Mexico-Querétaro train is estimated at 166 billion pesos. APRIL 2, apareció primero en T21.

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) announced that it is working with Federal Roads and Bridges (Capufe) on a study to identify which infrastructure needs improvements, and that they will also seek to implement electronic devices, called tags, to speed up crossings .

“We are studying those booths that have the longest waiting lines, whether for expansion or operation, to increase the number of operators working or even an action that we want to reinforce is to make everything through tags, so that cash payment is at least,” explained Jesús Esteva, head of the department.

He also said that he had asked the National Chamber of Cargo Transportation (Canacar) to participate in order to provide information on which toll booths could have this type of technology.

During his meeting with the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) to present the National Infrastructure Program , he explained that one of the highways that present problems with long lines is the Mexico-Querétaro highway, among others.

Without giving further details, he said that this program will be carried out throughout the year and is expected to be extended to other roads in the country, “we are doing tests and it is a matter of understanding the users, there will be those who do not have a way to recharge the tag and we will have to see who will pay with cash.”

Mexico-Querétaro Train

Likewise, Esteva justified the increase in investment for the construction of the Mexico-Querétaro train, which went from 75 billion pesos to 144 billion 99 million 779 thousand pesos, due to various modifications to the project .

“We start with a plan, with a conceptual project, and once we begin to define the right-of-way release, operating conditions, soil complexity, etc., there may be adjustments, and we are at that point. In reality, the base budgets are made based on cost parameters that are referenced from other works.”

He pointed out that this happened in the Nichupté bridge construction, due to the construction conditions that were diverse and “we have to do the works to finish them, as was also the case with the Mexico-Toluca train.”

National Infrastructure Program

Regarding the National Infrastructure Program, he recalled that in terms of roads, during this six-year term the investment will be 173 thousand 445.5 million pesos , plus the investment of 118 thousand 470 million pesos in the priority axes, in addition to five thousand 986 million pesos for the region of Oaxaca, among other projects.

He said that they will also be working on the publication of a new aeronautical policy in which they will seek to strengthen infrastructure and its services, use renewable energy, strengthen staff through training, and continue to comply with international standards, to name a few.

Meanwhile, private groups and the federal government will invest more than 117 billion pesos in improving various airports.

Regarding the railway industry, he reiterated the construction of more than three thousand kilometers of tracks for passenger trains, including the extension of the train to AIFA, AIFA-Pachuca, Mexico-Querétaro, Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo and Querétaro-Irapuato.

In addition, they will also build 18 high schools in different states of the country and Rosario Castellanos Universities and a comprehensive plan for 10 municipalities of the State of Mexico, which includes public transportation, road infrastructure, urban equipment and solid waste management, among other actions.

As well as actions to increase and reinforce road safety, incorporation of technology in weights and dimensions, operations and coordination with the main road transport chambers.

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The Mexico-Querétaro train, which will have an investment of more than 144 billion pesos, will use a diesel-electric transmission system, so it will be a hybrid train and will run on a double-track railway line for the transport of passengers and cargo.

According to the Environmental Impact Statement, this project, which will have a length of 230.34 kilometers (km), will build a double track for freight trains in some sections and a single track in others.

These units will run on the concessioned right-of-way, however, he warns that it will be necessary to acquire new ones in certain sections to guarantee the functionality and safety of the project.

“The project will be developed on an area of ​​1,069.9876 hectares (ha), of which 463.7819 ha correspond to the existing right of way and 606.2156 ha correspond to new affected areas,” states the document released by the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) .

The Mexico-Querétaro train will depart from the Buenavista station of the Suburban train, and will require an investment of 144 billion 99 million 779 thousand pesos , of which 10% will be allocated to prevention, mitigation and compensation measures.  It should be noted that the announced amount is 92% higher than what was previously stated by the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) , which was 75 billion pesos.

The journey time will be one hour and 50 minutes. It will have three stations, the aforementioned and Tula de Allende, San Juan del Río and Santiago de Querétaro, and the work program is planned for 30 months.

Likewise, by transporting a greater number of passengers and cargo in a single journey , the demand for road transport will decrease, which will also contribute to the reduction of global emissions.

The agency also said that the route was designed to avoid significant fragmentation of habitats and includes specific measures such as the construction of wildlife crossings and programs for the rescue and relocation of fauna and flora.

He also highlights that, taking advantage of the Mexico City-Querétaro railway axis, the aim will be to build multimodal transport terminals using the existing infrastructure to consolidate the urban centers located along it.

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El cargo Mexico-Queretaro train will be more expensive, will be hybrid and will move cargo apareció primero en T21.

The AIFA-Pachuca, Mexico-Querétaro and Querétaro-Irapuato passenger trains will have an investment of more than 269 billion pesos , amounts higher than those announced by the federal government in recent months.

According to the Portfolio Investment Project document presented by the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) , the AIFA-Pachuca train requires 51 billion 874 million 963 thousand 647 pesos for its construction, a project that would have to be ready in 24 months.

This amount is 3.7% higher than that announced in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) last January and which this media reported at the time. But it is also 16.9% higher than what was announced by the federal government at the end of last year on the agency’s Projects page.

However, to this cost would have to be added the operation and maintenance costs estimated at 568 million 696 thousand 742 without VAT per year, although this would reach 871 million 106 thousand 581 pesos without VAT by 2056.

This project will be 57.1 kilometers (km) long, with two tracks where nine passenger trains will run , which will be composed of two “A1-A2” cabin motor cars, with a capacity of 192 seats; an “A3” intermediate car, with 163 seats and two “A4-A5” intermediate cars, also with 179 seats.

It is estimated that the daily demand for 2027 will be 80,738 passengers , so that at an annual level it will be 25,593,946 passengers, while by 2054, the last date of the document, there will be 95,676 daily and 30,329,292 annual passengers.

In addition, it will have three stations, Xaltocán Extension, Tepojaco/Tizayuca/Temascalapa/Huitzila and Pachuca). With a travel time of 35 minutes. Operating hours from 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. (20 hours of service).

It will mostly use the existing right-of-way of tracks H, HA and HC of the Mexican Railway System and new right-of-way required at certain points that are required to have an optimized layout.

The speed of the trains will be 120 km/h and will run on a double electrified track with catenary traction to align with what is implemented in the Suburban Train that goes from Lechería to AIFA.

“The Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF) is in the process of acquiring the missing properties to complete the Release of the Right of Way, for which the resources that will be allocated for the investment project are required,” the document states.

As an optimization measure, the improvement of the roads that are currently used for the connection between Pachuca and the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) is proposed . These measures consider major maintenance that includes the resurfacing of both free and toll roads, this includes sealing irrigation, application of carpets, releveling, pavement recovery, among other works that require 279 million 696 thousand 384 pesos .

It should be noted that the federal government reserved, without giving details, the annexes of this project that contain the technical, legal, economic studies and calculation reports of the cost-benefit analysis for a period of five years.

This weekend, Andrés Lajous Loaeza, head of ARTF, announced that the Mexico-Querétaro and Querétaro-Irapuato trains will have an investment of around 144 billion pesos and 73 billion pesos, respectively.

For the first, it should be noted that the announced amount is 92% higher than what was previously stated in the SHCP, which was 75 billion pesos.

For this project, 225 km of double track will be built , with trains that can go up to 200 km/h and with a travel time from Mexico to Querétaro of one hour and 50 minutes. Its main stops will be: Buenavista (in Mexico City), Tula, San Juan del Río and Querétaro, and it will generate 180 thousand jobs: 69 thousand direct and 120 thousand indirect. It will be completed by the end of 2027.

The Querétaro-Irapuato Train , a 110 km double-track train , will cost 73 billion pesos and will benefit three million inhabitants in the main cities of Querétaro and Guanajuato. It will have speeds of up to 200 km/h in a travel time of just under an hour.

Construction work will be carried out between 2025 and 2027 to put the trains into operation in 2028 and it will be connected to public transport in all the cities it will pass through: Querétaro, Celaya, Salamanca and Irapuato; it will generate 88 thousand jobs: 30 thousand direct and 58 thousand indirect.

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El cargo More than 269 billion pesos only for AIFA-Pachuca, Mexico-Querétaro and Querétaro-Irapuato trains apareció primero en T21.

The Mexican government expects construction of the Mexico-Querétaro train to begin next April. The project will cost 75 million pesos and will be carried out by military engineers.

“The demand study, which is important, is being completed; work is being done on the environmental impact statement, which has to be approved by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources , and on basic engineering. So, in April we will give the green light for Mexico-Querétaro,” said Claudia Sheinbaum, president of Mexico.

According to project data, this new line will cover 225 kilometers (km) and will take advantage of the existing right-of-way. The travel time is expected to be one hour and 40 minutes.

It will have a fleet of trains with a capacity of 450 passengers and a maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour. Two exclusive passenger tracks.

Three stations will be built: Buenavista, San Juan del Río and Santiago de Querétaro , and the construction of bus stops in other towns along the route will be evaluated.

Likewise, 77 bridges, 12 tunnels, three viaducts, two bypasses and two railway interchanges will be built , designed to cross the diverse topography and urban areas in order to minimize the impact on the existing infrastructure.

The federal government assured that the completion of the work and operational tests and operation will be in the first quarter of 2029.

The President of Mexico mentioned that work will also be announced for the Mexico-Pachuca train and tenders for the Guadalajara and Coahuila-Nuevo Laredo sections.

He said he would provide more information on the passenger train projects next Thursday or next week.

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El cargo Construction of the Mexico-Querétaro train begins in April apareció primero en T21.

On January 13, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) will announce the winners of three tenders it launched for passenger trains, and who must have the requested studies ready by next April.

According to the tenders, the Querétaro-Irapuato section requires the preparation of studies related to demand, social and urban impact, in addition to the legal and economic conditions of Querétaro-Irapuato, which belongs to the Mexico-Nogales train.

The interested parties were Transconsult , Steer Davies & Gleave Mexico, Felipe Ochoa and Associates, Cal y Mayor and Associates  and Adhoc Consultores Asociados.

Similarly, the same competition was launched for the Mexico-Querétaro line , part of the Mexico-Nuevo Laredo railway line, which costs around 37.9 million pesos.

In addition, the federal government stated that it is essential to include a detailed projection of the possible trips that the railway project could attract in the future within the studies , so various factors must be considered, such as mobility patterns, transportation alternatives, population growth, among others.

“The information obtained will enable policymakers to design effective strategies and make informed decisions that maximize the benefits of the passenger rail project for the community and the region at large,” he said.

In addition to the companies mentioned above, the following companies also submitted proposals for this competition: Technical Administrative Coordination of Works , ECOURBA , ZSEA Research , Network Transportation Systems Studies, ULC Solutions , Fingenta Consultores , IDOM, and Modelistica.

SICT also launched the tender for the same works on the Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo section of the Mexico-Nuevo Laredo highway.

The studies will include a detailed inventory of the railway network with influence on the project , identifying important yards and industries served; inventories of existing horizontal and vertical signs at the identified crossings (rail and vehicular) and their qualification, as well as allowing to know the interests, resources and potential conflicts that each actor involved with the project could have.

The following are competing in this tender: ADHOC Associated Consultants, Cal y Mayor and Associates, Luyet Consortium, Felipe Ochoa and Associates, and Transconsult.

It is worth mentioning that SICT is still analyzing the possibility of new passenger trains using certain sections of the existing railway infrastructure, that is, the tracks used for cargo handling. The decision will be made when the pre-investment studies are delivered.

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