Mexico’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) has launched the construction work for the Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo rail section, part of the Tren del Norte project.
The Minister Jesús Antonio Esteva Medina, via a live conference, together with the Governor of Nuevo León, Samuel García Sepúlveda, and the Head of the Rail Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF), Andrés Lajous Loaeza, officially flagged off the start of construction on the 396.34-km passenger rail section from Saltillo to Nuevo Laredo.
“We are now fulfilling the commitment to build the Tren del Norte, which will run from Mexico City to Nuevo Laredo — a total of 1,200 km. And we are giving the green light to the section from Saltillo to Nuevo Laredo,” the minister said.
The line will include main and secondary stations, as well as larger terminal stations, intermediate stops, and low-demand stations in smaller towns.
“The estimated demand for this section is around 7 million passengers per year. They will be able to travel from Saltillo to the Monterrey metropolitan area, and also from Monterrey to Nuevo Laredo, boosting economic and tourism links between the regions of Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, and Coahuila,” the head of ARTF, Andrés Lajous Loaeza, said.
The Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo rail section will be divided into four sections. The first 105 km section currently under construction will connect Unión San Javier and Arroyo El Sauz. Works also include the Saltillo –Santa Catarina section (section II) for which the construction and design contract has been awarded to a consortium of CICSA and FCC. For the 111 km section, EUR 1.47 billion is the value of the contract which will be completed in 31 months (2.5 years). The third section includes the connection between Arroyo El Sauz and Nuevo Laredo and the last one covers rail works in the Monterrey metropolitan area.
The most of the project will make use of the existing right of way, which runs alongside an operational freight line. The new passenger track will be built next to this freight line. In addition, a 3 km loop at every 25 km will be built to allow faster trains and increased capacity.
Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo rail section forms part of the larger Tren del Norte, which will span 1,200 km from Mexico City to Nuevo Laredo, allowing trains to run at maximum speeds between 160 and 200 km/h.
The Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo Passenger Train is part of the federal government’s plan to expand the country’s passenger rail network, with the aim of improving connectivity in northern Mexico and facilitating mobility between two strategic industrial hubs.
“This project will bring a great deal of employment and significant economic benefits. We will be working together, as the route will also connect with major state infrastructure projects such as Metro Lines 4 and 6. All of this passenger transport will undoubtedly improve mobility in the state of Nuevo León,” the Governor of Nuevo León said.
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