Mexico Confirms Launch Of New Train Connecting 3 Of Its Most Iconic Historic Cities

Three years after the successful launch of the Maya Train, which now travels on a loop around the Yucatan Peninsula, connecting destinations like Cancun, Tulum, and Merida, Mexico is gearing up to open yet another train route.

Except this time, it won’t be restricted to a single region or peninsula: the country’s upcoming passenger railway will travel a whopping 348 miles all the way from the business heart of Mexico to the Gulf, connecting 3 landmark cities.

Here’s everything we know about it so far:

Mexico City All The Way To The Gulf Coast

According to local media outlets, the Federal Government of Mexico will launch a combined freight and passenger train from Mexico City to Veracruz, passing via Puebla.

These are 3 of the country’s most historical and culturally-significant cities: Mexico City is, of course, the national capital, home to world-renowned monuments like the Metropolitan Cathedral and Chapultepec Castle, and vibrant districts, from the leafy Condesa to the edgy Zona Rosa.

As for Puebla, it is distinct for being one of the best-preserved colonial cities in Mexico: built by the Spanish, it features a European-style urban layout, a stone cathedral with a beautiful Baroque interior, and ornate building facades.

Finally, for the upcoming train’s terminus, we’ll have Veracruz, a bustling port on the Gulf of Mexico, best known for its Spanish-era, harbor-side fortress, San Juan de Ulúa, 16th century Zócalo, ringed by colonial architecture, and scenic beaches.

How Far Along Are We?

When it comes to the planned train route, there are in fact two routes being planned.

Although it’s confirmed Puebla and Veracruz will be serviced, authorities are in fact undecided as to whether trains will pass first via Tlaxcala, before heading towards the Gulf, or depart directly toward Puebla, and finally to Veracruz.

But anyways, we digress. Back to the train itself, it could have a budget of over 30 billion dollars, depending on which routes will be used, whether it’s a low, medium, or high-speed train, and the type of geography that faces contractors.

If we’ve learned anything from the Maya Train saga is that geography is key when it comes to infrastructure projects like this, and the odd Mesoamerican ruin they dig up along the way by accident can set it back years.

When Can We Expect The Train To Launch?

So far, the construction of the Mexico City-Puebla-Veracruz train will take at least four years:

Environmental and archaeological assessments aside, the terrain is peppered with slopes and mountains, and some sections will require the construction of bridges and tunnels. On flat land, a medium-speed train costs on average $30 million per kilometer.

In mountainous areas, prices can go up to $80–$90 million. Fortunately for this new project, about half the route is similar to the Mayan Train’s blueprint, and it could be built at a far more reasonable cost. The second half is the issue, as we enter more difficult terrain.

The reassuring bit is that this train has been a priority for the Sheinbaum administration as much as the Maya Train was AMLO’s obsession for a number of years.

It’s a legacy project, and we have a feeling the current Mexican President will definitely see it through to the end.

11 Stations In Total

In total, the new passenger train could have up to 11 stations.

They are not yet confirmed, it has been suggested the train will actually start from La Paz (State of Mexico), before traveling toward Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) in Mexico City, Los Reyes, and Calpulalpan.

As it exits the capital region and the State of Mexico, it could have six stops in Puebla state: San Martín Texmelucan, Coronango, Puebla (city), Amozoc, Rafael Grajales, and Esperanza.

Finally, as it crosses the state line into Veracruz, the final two stops are Córdoba and the Port of Veracruz.

This train is only one of several new railway routes opening soon all over the Mexico: there are also plans to construct a line connecting Mexico City to Queretaro, and even an expansion of the Maya Train into neighboring countries like Belize and Guatemala is in the cards.

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Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.