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.

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El cargo Mexican government takes control of the Suburban Train; buys shares from CAF and Omnitren apareció primero en T21.

Alstom won the bid to build 47  passenger trains that will be used on the Mexico-Queretaro, Queretaro-Irapuato and Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo routes .

According to the ruling published by the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF) , the French company won with a proposal of 20 billion 171 million 045 thousand 505.47 pesos .

This offer was 17.2% lower than the one presented by CAF Mexico , which offered 24 billion 366 million 068 thousand 149.81 pesos.

Meanwhile,  CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive , in a joint venture with Mexico Railway Transportation Equipment, registered a proposal of 23,911,769,552.72 pesos, 15.6% lower than that of the French-owned railway company.

“The proposal from bidder CRRC Zhuzhou is not considered a sound technical proposal, as it does not reach the minimum score to be evaluated economically,” ARTF stated.

Similarly, the agency pointed out that although all three companies complied with the national content requirement , Alstom “provided more arguments and evidence and, unlike the other competitors, even disclosed the medium and formula used to calculate its percentage compared to CRRC and CAF.” The French company proposed 72.4 percent.

The trains must be equipped with ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System), and will include commissioning, maintenance and workshop equipment.

Of the total fleet,  14 trains will be short-route  for the San Juan del Río–Celaya and Celaya–Irapuato sections, with the longest planned route length being 107 kilometers (km).

Meanwhile,  33 units will be long-distance trains for routes such as Buenavista–Irapuato and Buenavista–Querétaro Centro, among others. All trains will be diesel-electric self-propelled units (DMUs).

The capacity will be approximately 700 passengers (with a minimum of 315 seated users and the rest standing) for short-distance trains, and a minimum of 265 seated passengers for long-distance trains, depending on the car configuration established.

It is worth remembering that Alstom, in consortium with Bombardier Transportation Mexico, Gami Ingeniería e Instalaciones and Construcciones Urales , won the bid for the construction of the 42 trains of the Maya Train, with an offer of 36 billion 563 million 731 thousand 221 pesos and a 72.5% degree of national integration.

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El cargo Alstom wins tender to build 47 passenger trains apareció primero en T21.

With the aim of preventing any type of accident or injury  during the construction of passenger trains and the risk involved with the operation of freight trains, the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF) is preparing a decree to establish the guidelines that construction companies and concessionaires must follow as minimum safety measures.

Currently there is no regulatory framework that establishes such actions, mainly for the personnel of construction companies, who are left exposed, noted the ARTF, which indicated that the execution time of the projects themselves may be extended.

“The lack of regulation not only endangers lives, but also causes delays, disruptions, and cascading effects within transportation activities. Today we face a double problem: insufficient protection and training for those involved in the construction of our infrastructure, as well as the impact on the efficient operation of railway projects,” the organization stated.

According to the document Guidelines for safety in passenger train works coexisting with freight trains , it will be possible to implement and operate the minimum safety measures for the people involved in each of the construction processes, generating tangible and immediate benefits not only for them, but also for the operation and functioning of these tracks.

ARTF specified that the regulatory proposal will generate costs, by establishing training and specific requirements that construction companies must meet, which range from 28,000 to 45,000 pesos per person as established in working meetings by concessionaires such as Ferromex , and training entities such as Calidad Mexicana en Desarrollo Ferroviario .

Furthermore, it is estimated that approximately 10 to 15 people per company would be affected, with costs ranging from 45,000 to 2,700,000 pesos . Meanwhile, the costs of hospitalization for minor injuries, including surgery and rehabilitation sessions, would amount to 98,558 pesos. Similarly, the costs associated with the worker’s death could be at least 1,666,650 pesos.

“Between 2016 and September 2025, 1,199 accidents resulting in death or injury were reported. It is estimated that 16 of these involved railway personnel—with an estimated monthly salary—and the cost amounts to 1,576,928 pesos for injuries and 26,666,400 pesos for deaths. Therefore, the benefits outweigh the costs generated from the implementation of these guidelines,” he explained.

However, ARTF stressed that the objective is to preserve and guarantee the safety of the railway service, as well as the construction of passenger trains through the personnel who operate or assist in compliance.

“By establishing the technical and administrative bases that guarantee its purpose, the functions that the security personnel must fulfill in passenger train works coexisting with freight trains will be set, as well as the process that must be followed to train and designate individuals as Security Coordination Personnel, and the basic security measures that are mandatory for the company or person responsible for the construction and all personnel participating in the works,” he specified.

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El cargo Safety measures are being prepared to prevent accidents at passenger train construction sites apareció primero en T21.

The federal government expropriated a plot of land of more than 24,000 square meters for the construction of the “Nextlalpan” Overpass , a project that is part of the expansion of the Suburban Train to the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) .

Through the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) it was assured that the surface for said work is appropriate and suitable for the construction of the bridge .

He specified that the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) will be responsible for covering the amount of compensation with its authorized budget, in accordance with the appraisals issued by the Institute of Administration and Appraisals of National Assets (Indaabin) .

He explained that the existing vehicular and pedestrian mobility in the area, specifically at the crossing with the railway, is currently carried out through level crossings that are in operation and are regular, which will be maintained and operationally improved through the construction of nine vehicular bridges , distributed along the route of the train, one of these crossings will be the “Nextlalpan” Vehicular Overpass.

In addition, it will reduce travel costs and time for people traveling from the Metropolitan Area of ​​the Valley of Mexico to said airport and vice versa, and will decrease accidents and environmental pollution in the area.

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El cargo Mexican government expropriates land for train construction towards AIFA apareció primero en T21.

Benjamín Alemán Castilla, founding partner of ALTTRAC and former head of the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF) , commented that passenger trains will be built in the main rail freight corridors, such as in Veracruz, Puebla, Mexico City, Celaya, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo , so the confinement works must “be very relevant.”

In this regard, he explained that promoting mixed-use corridors provides an opportunity to correct fiscal and regulatory asymmetries between the two modes , develop a one-stop shop for multimodal planning, increase safety and punctuality in traffic mixes, and implement programs to reduce accidents, among other actions.

“There are several elements that place a heavier regulatory burden on one mode of transport than another, and this makes one service comparatively more expensive than another, which impacts the different modes of transport in the country,” he said during an event held by the Mexican Railway Association (AMF) .

Juan Carlos Miranda Hernández, coordinator of the Railway Subcommittee of the College of Civil Engineers of Mexico (CICM) , highlighted the differences in the operation of passenger and freight trains, including speed, capacity, compensation, infrastructure, schedule restrictions, and industrial development , to name a few.

Meanwhile, passenger services using concessioned right-of-way, the modality under which the projects proposed by the current federal administration will be developed, face limitations in terms of growth, as do connectivity for industries and others.

However, he asserted that ” it was a wise decision not to allow passenger services to operate on freight lines and to build new infrastructure and operate with different specifications, techniques, and operating regimes.”

“It must be taken into consideration that these are freight-operated tracks; the construction itself could create unsafe conditions for freight trains, or the trains could create unsafe conditions for workers and the construction site,” he explained.

For his part, Óscar Hernández Oviedo, head of the Maya Train Infrastructure Management Unit , noted that a mixed operation allows for maximizing the use of railway infrastructure, serving mobility and logistics markets.

“The challenge is clear: without regulations or technology, differences in speed and weight can reduce the network’s effective capacity. The Maya Train, from its design, contemplates the coexistence of passenger and freight trains under interoperability,” he stated.

Therefore, he indicated that passenger trains currently operate at a speed of 160 kilometers per hour (km/h) and freight trains will travel at 100 km/h. “This will limit effective capacity if schedules are not properly managed, and we must consolidate them efficiently. Tools must be developed for fixed schedules, scheduled crossings, double-track sections, and in high-demand areas, with laredos with a minimum length of 1.5 km. We must also monitor trains per hour, punctuality, track occupancy, and other factors to fine-tune operations.”

He asserted that the joint venture in the country represents a strategic opportunity to consolidate an efficient, resilient, and high-impact railway model .

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El cargo Safety and regulations among the challenges in mixed train operations apareció primero en T21.

The Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF) published the draft call for proposals for the construction and design of 1.2 kilometers (km) of section III of the Querétaro-Irapuato train .

According to the documents, the project has a resource allocation of 2.41 billion 624 thousand 309.87 pesos, including the Value Added Tax (VAT) for 2026 , while for subsequent fiscal years it will be subject to budget availability.

This section will be from km 107+000 to km 108+200, including stations located in Apaseo El Grande, Celaya, Cortázar, Salamanca and Irapuato, as well as the rectification of the track bed of the existing passenger station in Irapuato and reconfiguration of the freight yard until both are in effective and operational operation.

The document specified that the work will be carried out in Querétaro and Guanajuato.

He also indicated that the winning bidder will have to begin work on January 12, 2026 , with a completion period of 871 calendar days.

The results of this competition will be announced on the day of the presentation and opening of proposals.

The Querétaro-Irapuato railway consists of the construction of a 108.2 km long railway line , which will include a section of non-electrified double track. The proposed stations and stops will be in Querétaro, Apaseo El Grande, Celaya, Villagrán/Cortázar, Salamanca, and Irapuato. The total cost will be 98.749 million 837 thousand 130 pesos .

It should be remembered that the consortium made up of Mota-Engil Mexico , Mota-Engil Aeropuertos del Norte, Mota-Engil Engenharia e Construcao Africa, Mota-Engil Engenharia e Construcao, will carry out the construction and design of 30.70 km of section I of this same train , from Apaseo El Grande Industrial Zone – Querétaro Industrial Zone, sub-section from km 5+600 to km 36+300, which includes the construction of viaducts.

In addition to 70.70 km of section II from Apaseo El Grande Industrial Zone to Irapuato , sub-section from km 36+300 to 107+000, which includes the construction of viaducts.

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El cargo ARTF prepares tender for section III of the Querétaro-Irapuato train apareció primero en T21.

The consortium led by Gami Engineering and Installations will build and design 136.48 kilometers (km) of the Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo passenger train , segments 18, 19 and 20 Arroyo El Sauz-Nuevo Laredo.

According to the tender decision, together with Construcciones Urales , Recal Estructuras and Azvi submitted an offer for 12 billion 669 million 670 thousand 550.55 pesos , the lowest of the three submitted.

Meanwhile, the consortium led by ICA Constructora submitted a proposal of 17 billion 131 million 534 thousand 748.22 pesos.

The third bid was awarded to Operadora CICSA and FCC Construcción , with a bid of 17.91 billion 630 thousand 448.94 pesos.

The Rail Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF) evaluated the proposals by points and percentages, with the winner receiving 88.12 points, the runner-up receiving 85.98 points, and the third-place consortium receiving 75.30 points.

The agency specified that the contract signing will take place on October 10 , while construction of the project is expected to begin on the 13th of the same month, with a 1,054-day completion period.

“I don’t know why anyone would say that. Look at the bidding processes; the information is public. Right now, we’re on schedule (with bidding processes),” he emphasized.

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El cargo Gami Engineering and Installations wins contract for the Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo train section apareció primero en T21.

Adhoc Consultores Asociados , Cal y Mayor y Asociados , IDOM , Transconsult and Servicios Mexicanos de Ingeniería Civil are among the companies interested in carrying out studies on demand, social and urban impact, as well as the economic conditions of sections of the Mexico-Nogales and Mexico-Nuevo Laredo passenger trains.

According to the documents of the calls launched by the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF) , the sections are Irapuato-Guadalajara , Phase II, of the Mexico-Nogales railway line, as well as Mazatlán-Los Mochis , Phase II of the same route.

Also, for the Querétaro-Saltillo train , Phase II, which corresponds to Mexico-Nuevo Laredo.

Black Bear Mobility Consulting , TAQ Sistemas Médicos , Gerinpro Consultores , among others, are also among the companies interested in participating in this competition.

The ARTF specified that the submission and opening of proposals for the first two tranches will take place on August 11, while the third will be on August 13 .

Meanwhile, 24 companies showed interest in the construction and design of 111 kilometers (km) of the Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo train, segments 13 and 14, Saltillo–Santa Catarina .

These include China Railway International Group , CAABSA Constructora , Comsa Infraestructuras , Northwest Railway Constructions , Urales Constructions , ICA Constructora , Jaguar Engineers Construction , Mota-Engil Mexico , and  Recal Structures . The ARTF will announce the winners of this tender on August 27 .

For the same works, but for 70.70 km of the Querétaro-Irapuato train, section Apaseo El Grande Industrial Zone to Irapuato , sub-section from mm 36+300 to 107+000, which includes the construction of viaducts, 16 companies showed up at the construction site.

The companies include Operadora Cicsa , Holcim México Operaciones , Geoquest México , FCC Construcción , Rubau México , Nexumrail , as well as some of the companies already mentioned.

Although the clarification meeting was scheduled for August 5, it was ultimately postponed. According to the call for proposals, the proposals will be presented on September 17 , and the date of the decision will be announced that same day.

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El cargo Construction companies show interest in passenger trains apareció primero en T21.

The companies Alstom , CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive , Mitsubish Electric de México and CAF México , expressed interest in participating in the tender to acquire 15 electric passenger trains for the Mexico City-Pachuca route.

According to the document published in ComprasMX , representatives of these international companies met on July 16 to visit the various sites designated for train unloading, garages, and major maintenance facilities.

“Conduct an on-site visit so bidders can understand the environmental conditions, as well as the characteristics related to the degree of difficulty of the work to be performed, its technical implications, complexity, and magnitude,” stated the Rail Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF) .

He explained that the possible area for unloading trains, garages and major maintenance warehouse would be located in Pantaco , while the probable storage and conditioning of the first trains would be located in Lechería- AIFA , and an area in Pachuca for workshops.

He also reported that he received 403 questions regarding the contest through the platform from Alstom Ferroviaria Mexicana, CAF Mexico and CRRC .

On July 15, the ARTF launched the international tender for the acquisition of the 15 trains. Bidders must propose at least 50% domestic content in their manufacturing, which will be determined by taking into account labor, inputs, and other factors.

The agency specified that these passenger trains must be equipped with ERTMS (Emergency Management System), which includes commissioning, maintenance, and workshop equipment. The decision on this tender will be made on August 29th.

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El cargo These companies operate trains on the Mexico City-Pachuca route. apareció primero en T21.

Andrés Lajous, director general of the ARTF, reiterated that dedicated lanes will be built for the exclusive use of this service.

“We have the existing freight line, which has its small embankment, and the two passenger lines are being built in parallel. Not all sections have passenger lines, depending on the distances between stations and demand. There will be sections where there is only one passenger line, such as section 6 of the Mayan Train,” he indicated during his participation in this Wednesday’s morning press conference.

It’s worth remembering that in mid-May, the ARTF reported that a mixed operation would be carried out on only five kilometers of land, due to terrain classified as “extremely difficult.” These kilometers would be part of the first four projects and are located along the Mexico-Querétaro train route.

 Lajous explained that they found that of the 750 km, 89% are dedicated roads with shared right-of-way, while 10% are in the process of acquiring right-of-way to allow for faster travel.

He explained that the trains will run at speeds between 160 and 200 kilometers per hour (km/h) and in some cases, such as the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA ) – Pachuca and the Suburban Train to AIFA, they will be electric, while in the rest they will be diesel-electric.

Likewise, there will be main and secondary stations, with the goal of offering more regional services, which is why the architecture department of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT)  has been working on their design.

He also reported that demand studies have allowed for the identification of certain intercity and regional services, such as the Querétaro-Irapuato route, where there are a significant number of business trips between San Juan del Río and Celaya.

Regarding the bidding process, Lajous stated that interested builders must demonstrate their ability to prepare the executive project and other aspects related to this type of plan, as outlined in the tenders.

He stated that there are areas where bridges will need to be built due to the terrain, but also to avoid urban areas and to avoid interaction with cargo, so they will be used over these roads, as is the case in the industrial zone of Monterrey.

He recalled that in the case of the bidding process for the first 30 km of the Querétaro-Irapuato line, the decision will be made between the second and third week of August , and in the following days they will publish the call for bids for a 70 km stretch from Apaseo to Irapuato.

The official explained that on this stretch, traffic will run parallel to the freight service, although there is a detour to take the right-of-way of Highway 45D, then continue through Salamanca and rejoin for the entrance to Irapuato. He added that in Celaya, the freight train will not cross the city but will use the bypass.

Meanwhile, for the Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo route, the decision will also be made between the second and third week of August . In terms of the bidding process, he emphasized that there are approximately 250 km of bidding available in total.

Regarding the Mexico-Pachuca line, he said it has an estimated 100,000 daily passengers along the entire route, including the sections from the State of Mexico to the AIFA (National Highway Administration), toward Hidalgo, and Tizayuca, Empalme del Rey, and Pachuca.

For this reason, the tender for 15 passenger trains is underway , which will have a maximum speed of 130 km/h. He also specified that, due to high demand, the capacity of the units will be increased, and instead of having a 100-meter train every six minutes, there will be a double train every six minutes during rush hour.

The trains will carry 700 passengers, offer universal accessibility and priority seating. The call for proposals will be published this Thursday, with the decision announced at the end of August .

From ARTF to the Integrated Train and Public Transport Agency

Andrés Lajous explained that the creation of the Integrated Public Transport and Trains Agency (ATTPI) aims to prioritize passenger trains as part of national development and strengthens the role of the Mexican State, as it gives it specific powers for the planning and design of passenger services, but also reinforces rail freight transport to organize existing concessions .

Furthermore, the powers for better coordination, managing concessions, and overseeing national assets, such as the current railway infrastructure, are established “more clearly.”

Lajous explained that before the creation of the new agency, there were actions that were divided or duplicated between the ARTF and the General Directorate of Railway Development, so they will now be under a single agency.

Therefore, now with the ATTPI, which is a decentralized public agency but under the supervision of the SICT, the planning, construction, maintenance, modernization, regulation, and design of the national railway system and multimodal transportation, as well as public transportation, will be carried out.

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El cargo ARTF estimates acquiring 10% of the right-of-way for passenger trains apareció primero en T21.