Tren Maya facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mayan Train
The routes of the Tren Maya
Overview
Native name	Tren Maya (Spanish) Tsíimin K'áak'(Yucatec Maya)
Owner	Mexican Armed Forces
Locale	Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo; Mexico
Termini	Palenque station, Chiapas Cancún Airport railway station, Quintana Roo
Stations	34 (20 major stations and 14 minor stations)
Service
Services	3
Rolling stock	42 X'Trapolis Tsíimin K'áak multiple units
Daily ridership	1,926 passengers (2023–2024)
Ridership	705,000 passengers (2023–2024)
History
Commenced	December 16, 2018
Opened	December 15, 2023 (Campeche–Cancún) January 1, 2024 (Palenque–Cancún) February 29, 2024 (Cancún–Playa del Carmen) September 20, 2024 (Playa del Carmen–Felipe Carrillo Puerto) September 29, 2024 (Chetumal) December 15, 2024 (Escárcega–Chetumal)
Technical
Line length	1,554 km (966 mi)
Number of tracks	2 (Mérida–Cancún–Chetumal) 1 (Chetumal–Escárcega) 1 (Palenque–Mérida)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Operating speed	160 km/h (99 mph)

The Tren Maya' (which means Mayan Train in Spanish, or Tsíimin K'áak in Yucatec Maya) is a long inter-city railway in Mexico. It stretches about 1,554 kilometers (966 miles) across the Yucatán Peninsula. Building the railway started in June 2020. The first part, from Campeche to Cancún, opened on December 15, 2023. Other parts of the railway opened in stages. The last part, from Escárcega to Chetumal, opened on December 15, 2024. The railway starts near Cancún International Airport and goes southwest towards Palenque, Chiapas. It forms two routes that go around the peninsula.

Why the Mayan Train Was Built

Tren Maya arriving at Mérida Teya station

Passengers entering a rail car at Mérida Teya Station

Passengers boarding at Valladolid station

The main goal of the Tren Maya is to connect popular tourist spots on the Caribbean coast with less-known places inland. These inland areas include ancient Mayan sites, which is where the train gets its name. By linking major towns in the region, the train aims to spread out tourists. Currently, most tourists stay on the coast. The train also helps develop areas that have not received much attention from the government in the past. It is expected to carry up to three million passengers each year.

How the Mayan Train Project Started

Past Ideas for Railways

For many years, people talked about building railways to connect the southeastern states of Mexico. Before the Tren Maya, other leaders had similar ideas. For example, former president Enrique Peña Nieto wanted to build a "Transpeninsular Train." However, that project was stopped in 2015 because of money problems. Other governors also suggested train projects to connect cities and tourist spots.

The Mayan Train Idea

The Tren Maya project was officially announced in September 2018 by Mexico's president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Earlier ideas were for a shorter line, but this new plan was much bigger. Previous presidents had also tried to build passenger trains but could not get enough money. The Tren Maya uses some existing railway paths and also new tracks built through the jungle. Some groups did not like the project. The Zapatista Army of National Liberation said they would oppose it.

Public Vote in 2019

In November 2019, President López Obrador announced that people in the states where the train would pass could vote on the project. This vote happened on December 15, 2019.

Most people who voted (92.3%) were in favor of the Tren Maya. About 7.4% voted against it. Around 100,940 people voted. This was a small percentage of all registered voters in the affected areas.

Some groups, like the Mexican Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, criticized the vote. They said that voters only heard about the good things the project would bring, like better water, health, and jobs. They were not told about any possible negative effects. These groups also pointed out problems with how the vote was organized, like not enough time for people to learn about it and low participation, especially among local women. The government, however, said the vote followed international rules.

Funding the Project

The money for the Tren Maya mostly comes from a special tax on tourism in the region. Some funds were also moved from other government programs.

In December 2018, the project was expected to cost about 150 billion pesos (around US$7.4 billion). Later, in October 2021, the estimated cost was updated to 200 billion pesos. By October 2020, the total cost, including running and maintaining the train for 30 years, was estimated at about 321 billion pesos.

In December 2020, President López Obrador announced that the armed forces would operate parts of the railway. The money earned from the train would help support military pensions. Later, it was clarified that the military would own the entire route and receive all the profits. The government stated that having the military run the train would help ensure good management and prevent corruption.

Officials also explained that local people would pay a lower price for a train ticket, for example, about 50 pesos for a trip from Cancún Airport to Playa del Carmen. Tourists would pay more, between 800 and 1000 pesos, because they would have extra services like restaurants.

Building the Mayan Train

On December 16, 2018, President López Obrador held a special Mayan ritual to mark the start of construction. The railway is designed to carry tourists, local passengers, and even cargo.

The route is divided into seven main parts:

• Section I: 228 km (142 mi) from Palenque to Escárcega.
• Section II: 235 km (146 mi) from Escárcega to Calkiní.
• Section III: 172 km (107 mi) from Calkiní to Izamal.
• Section IV: 257 km (160 mi) from Izamal to Cancún Airport.
• Section V: 121 km (75 mi) from Cancún Airport to Tulum.
• Section VI: 254 km (158 mi) from Tulum to Bacalar.
• Section VII: 287 km (178 mi) from Bacalar to Escárcega.

Construction officially began in June 2020. Different companies worked on different sections. For example, section five, which is 121 km (75 mi) long, has 75% of its tracks built on raised structures (viaducts). This helps protect the underground water.

President López Obrador aimed to finish the project before his term ended in 2024. Some experts thought this was too fast for such a large project. By June 2023, 67% of the project was finished. The train officially started running on December 15, 2023.

Train service was briefly paused from December 28 to December 31, 2023, to prepare for extending service to Palenque. Service then restarted on January 1, 2024, from Cancún Airport to Palenque. The Chichén Itzá railway station opened in February 2024.

Train Cars and Types

The trains for the Tren Maya were designed by a French company called Alstom. A total of 219 train cars were built in Mexico. Most of these trains (32 of them) are "electro-diesel," meaning they can use both electricity and diesel fuel. Ten others use only diesel.

There are three main types of passenger trains:

• The Xiinbal train: This is the standard passenger train. Its name means "to walk" in Mayan. It has business class seats, regular seats, and a place to buy food. It's for both local people who travel often and tourists.
• The Janal train: This train has a special dining car where passengers can eat. Its name means "to eat" in Mayan. The outside of these trains has designs inspired by water, and the inside is designed to look beautiful and offer different seating options.
• The P'atal train: This train is for long trips. Its name means "to stay" in Mayan. It has seats that recline and sleeping cabins, making it comfortable for overnight journeys.

In addition to these passenger trains, some older diesel locomotives were brought in from other countries to help with the construction work.

Connecting to the Mayan Train

The Conexión Intermodal Tren Maya is a system of electric shuttle buses that connect to the Tren Maya stations. These buses operate in Cancun, Puerto Morelos, and Playa del Carmen. Two bus lines connect the Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen train stations to different tourist spots. A third line connects the Cancún Airport railway station to the four terminals of Cancún International Airport.

Work on the Cancun Airport shuttle started in July 2023. It began operations on February 29, 2024. This shuttle uses 7 electric buses, which can travel up to 69 kilometers per hour (43 mph). These buses arrived at the airport in March 2024.

Train Route and Stations

Name	Icon	Opened	Municipality and State	Type	Connections
Palenque		December 31, 2023	Palenque, Chiapas	Major	Line FA Palenque International Airport
Boca del Cerro		December 31, 2023	Tenosique, Tabasco	Major
Tenosique		December 31, 2023		Minor
El Triunfo		December 31, 2023	Balancán, Tabasco	Major
Candelaria		December 31, 2023	Candelaria , Campeche	Minor
Escárcega		December 31, 2023	Escárcega, Campeche	Major
Carrillo Puerto Champotón		December 31, 2023	Champotón, Campeche	Minor
Edzná		December 31, 2023	Campeche, Campeche	Major
San Francisco de Campeche		December 15, 2023		Major	Campeche International Airport Campeche Light Rail (Under Construction)
Tenabo		December 15, 2023	Tenabo, Campeche	Minor
Hecelchakán		December 15, 2023	Hecelchakán, Campeche	Minor
Calkiní		December 15, 2023	Calkiní, Campeche	Minor
Maxcanú		December 15, 2023	Maxcanú, Yucatan	Minor
Umán		December 15, 2023	Umán, Yucatan	Major	Ie-Tram Yucatán
Teya Mérida		December 15, 2023	Kanasín, Yucatan	Major	Mérida International Airport Ie-Tram Yucatán
Tixkokob		December 15, 2023	Tixkokob, Yucatan	Minor
Izamal		December 15, 2023	Izamal, Yucatan	Major
Chichén Itzá		December 15, 2023	Tinúm, Yucatan	Minor	Chichen Itza International Airport
Valladolid		December 15, 2023	Valladolid, Yucatan	Major
Nuevo Xcán		December 15, 2023	Lázaro Cárdenas, Quintana Roo	Major
Leona Vicario		December 15, 2023	Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo	Major
Cancún Airport		December 15, 2023	Benito Juárez, Quintana Roo	Major	Cancún International Airport
Puerto Morelos		February 29, 2024	Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo	Major
Playa del Carmen		February 29, 2024	Solidaridad, Quintana Roo	Major
Tulum		September 20, 2024	Tulum, Quintana Roo	Major
Tulum Airport		September 20, 2024	Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo	Major	Tulum International Airport
Felipe Carrillo Puerto		September 20, 2024		Major
Limones-Chacchoben		December 15, 2024	Bacalar, Quintana Roo	Minor
Bacalar		December 15, 2024		Major
Chetumal Airport		September 29, 2024 (Partial) December 15, 2024	Othón P. Blanco, Quintana Roo	Major	Chetumal International Airport
Nicolás Bravo-Konhunlich		December 15, 2024		Minor
Xpujil		December 15, 2024	Calakmul, Campeche	Major
Calakmul		December 15, 2024		Minor
Centenario		December 15, 2024	Escárcega, Campeche	Minor

Concerns About the Project

Environmental Impact

Some environmental groups and people who care about indigenous rights were worried about building new tracks through the jungle. They were concerned about the impact on nature and local communities.

As of January 2021, workers and archaeologists found over 8,000 ancient artifacts and structures during construction. This shows the rich history of the area.

Groups like the National Alliance for Conservation of the Jaguar suggested building special paths for jaguars. These "wildlife corridors" would help jaguars move safely across the area.

Some environmental groups accused the project leaders of cutting down trees without proper permission or studies. In November 2021, the government made an exception for the Tren Maya, allowing it to proceed without some environmental reviews to speed up construction.

In March 2022, Greenpeace activists protested by tying themselves to machinery. They were against cutting down the jungle without full environmental studies. A cave diver named Jose Urbina Bravo also studies how the train affects wildlife and caves. He is involved in legal efforts to stop construction.

Segment 5 of the train route caused the most debate among environmental groups. This part is over 110 kilometers long. Building it meant clearing a 60-meter-wide strip of jungle. Authorities say about 2.2 million trees were cut down or moved. The train's path was changed several times to try and meet environmentalists' demands. Before starting work, the Ministry of the Environment made a list of plants and animals and moved some animals to protected areas.

However, the Mexican Center for Environmental Law (Cemda) stated that the project has destroyed "2,500 hectares of tropical rainforest." It has also directly affected twenty protected natural areas.

Social Issues

The project aims to help residents in 130 local communities along the railway. These communities will benefit from "388 worksites and social actions." This includes fixing roads, improving public spaces, and upgrading electricity, water, and housing.

Some groups, like the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, expressed their opposition. They said the public vote only showed the good sides of the project. Some local groups also tried to stop construction through legal actions. They filed injunctions, which are court orders to temporarily stop work. Many of these injunctions were filed by indigenous groups who saw the project as an environmental problem. However, the government declared the Tren Maya a national security project, which meant court rulings had less power to stop it. Construction continued despite these legal challenges.

Some famous people, including actors and singers, joined a campaign called "Sélvame del Tren" (which means "Save me from the Train"). They spoke out against the project. In July 2022, residents in Chemax blocked roads, stopping construction. They said the government broke its promises to provide local improvements.

However, some experts believe that the opposition to the project is mainly a media campaign. They say it does not have widespread support from most people in the affected states, who seem to support the Tren Maya.

See also

In Spanish: Tren Maya para niños

• Rail transport in Mexico

External links