The new Mexico–Pachuca passenger train, currently under construction by the Mexican government, will carry an estimated 108,000 passengers each day and complete the 75-minute journey from Buenavista station in Mexico City to the future terminal station in Pachuca, according to the Head of the Federal Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF), Andrés Lajous Loaeza.
Speaking during an inspection of the project, attended by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and the Secretary of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT), Jesús Antonio Esteva Medina, Lajous said the route would link the metropolitan area of Pachuca — home to around 665,000 residents — with the Valley of Mexico.
He noted that the service would operate with electric trains, making them “silent and non-polluting”. The tender process began on 25 June, with the call for bids published on 10 July. The contract award is expected at the end of August.
A total of 15 passenger trains will be purchased, each 100 metres long and capable of reaching speeds of up to 130 km/h. “However, these trains are designed so that two units can be coupled together. This allows us to double capacity during peak demand,” Lajous explained.
Each train will have space for more than 700 passengers, including 315 seated, and will feature universal accessibility, with level boarding between the platform and train. Dedicated spaces will be available for wheelchair users.
The ARTF chief emphasised that the service will run on dedicated tracks, mostly within existing railway rights-of-way. “There is a right-of-way used by freight trains, and this is being utilised to lay new passenger tracks so there is no direct interaction between freight and passenger services,” he said.
Journey times will be 75 minutes between Buenavista and Pachuca, with 50-minute travel times to Jagüey de Téllez — at the entrance to the Pachuca metropolitan area — and to Tizayuca. Main stations will include Pachuca, Téllez and Tizayuca, along with smaller stops at Xolox, Huitzila, Empalme del Rey and Platah, the latter located in a state-developed industrial zone.
Station designs will vary according to demand, with medium-demand locations such as Pachuca and Téllez built with brick façades, open layouts and natural lighting. Lower-demand stops such as Xolox and Huitzila will follow a simpler design. Facilities will also accommodate other modes of transport, including public transit, private vehicles and pedestrian access — a priority in smaller communities.
Construction is intended to boost regional connectivity, reduce travel times and integrate transport options for both metropolitan and rural users.
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