Mexico will build a train to connect Hidalgo to the Santa Lucía airport

The federal government, through the Communications and Transportation Ministry (SCT), is planning the construction of a suburban passenger train to connect southern Hidalgo with the Santa Lucía airport . This suburban train will be similar to the one that operates in Mexico City’s Metropolitan Area.

The Rail Transport Regulating Agency (ARTF) will launch a tender for the pre-investment studies in 2021. According to the government department, this project aims to take advantage of a 40.2 kilometers-long railway track; nevertheless, at least 18.3 kilometers are unused.

For this project, the government would build the first train station in Téllez, Hidalgo. The line would end at the international airport.

So far, the ARTF requested MXN 39.5 million from the Finance Ministry to carry out a series of studies that must be ready by December 2021.

Recommended: Mexico to invest in two new passenger trains

According to the regulating agency, the demand for public transpor t in the area amounts to 41,268 trips every day.

This is the second suburban train that will connect the new international airport.

In documents obtained by EL UNIVERSAL, the ARTF argues the government is looking for a comfortable, safe, and environment-friendly design for the train. It also indicates that “the modernization of railway infrastructure ” is a pending issue in Hidalgo.

The new project would use the railway tracks that connect Hidalgo with the State of Mexico, which are operated by Ferrosur.

Economic and social potential

The document explains southern Hidalgo, which comprises Pachuca and Tula, and Mexico City’s Metropolitan Area has a high economic and social development potential.

Nevertheless, urban expansion in the area has created a difficult situation that resulted in an obsolete and deficient public transport system. Additionally, prices and traveling times are high, it is polluting, it results in accidents, insecurity, and social exclusion. These factors limit productivity, accessibility, and connectivity to offices, schools, and hospitals.

The regulating agency indicated that at the moment, there is no urban mobility model that is sustainable in the area.

Recommended: Mexico to invest $26 million on a train that will connect Mexico City to the Santa Lucía airport

In previous days, EL UNIVERSAL reported that Mexico would invest MXN 26 million on a train that will connect Mexico City to the Santa Lucía airport.

According to the Rail and Multimodal Transport Development Office (DGTFM), under the Communications and Transportation Ministry, the Mexican government will invest over MXN 26 million to connect the Santa Lucía airport with a train station.

According to authorities, up to 70,256 passengers could use the train every day. On average, each passenger would pay between MXN 8.50 and MXN 40.50 for the service.

Connecting the Santa Lucía Airport

In August 2018, EL UNIVERSAL reported the Mexibus would also connect Santa Lucía and Mexico City airports.

The Mexibus will transport national and international passengers that have to transfer between the new International Santa Lucía Airport (AISL) and the Mexico City International Airport (AICM).

Those who have to move between these two air terminals will make a 45.6-kilometers journey using this mode of transportation.

The journey from Indios Verdes to the Santa Lucía Airport will be of 41.6-kilometers journey in Mexibus.

The route that those who leave or come back to Santa Lucía to the International Air Terminal of Toluca (AIT) will be 98.6 kilometers long – excluding the journey from the subway station “Observatorio” to “Indios Verdes”-: 57 kilometers correspond to the route of the Interurban Train Mexico-Toluca and the other 41.6 kilometers corresponds to the route of the Mexibus from “Indios Verdes.”

According to the project of Connectivity Through the Integration of the Mass Transportation Systems for the Metropolitan Airport System of the Valley of Mexico, of which EL UNIVERSAL has a copy, the communication routes between the air terminals of Toluca, AICM, and Santa Lucía will take place through a mass transportation system like Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) or a line of buses that transit in a confined lane.

This kind of unit, 12 meters long on average, can transport up to 100 passengers.

For this, the government, through the Railway and Multimodal Transport Office (DGTFM) of the Ministry of Communications and Transport (SCT) proposes three extensions of the existing Mexibus systems: Ojo de Agua -AISL, AICM-Mexipuerto, and Tecámac-AISL.

Likewise, it contemplates the construction of two more lines: Mexibus 1, which would go from Ciudad Azteca to Ojo de Agua, and Mexibus 4, that would go from Indios Verdes to Tecamac.

The passengers coming from or to Toluca that want to use the air terminals of Santa Lucía, the International Toluca Airport, and the AICM will be able to use the Interurban Train Mexico-Toluca and a connection of this service that will be built for their easy access of about 8.7 kilometers.

The SCT highlights in the document that was submitted for consideration by the Investment Unit of the Mexican Ministry of Finance (SHCP), “that currently there are no efficient systems of public transportation between the two destinations and, above all, by including the airport of Toluca in the scheme of the Metropolitan Airport System, synergies from the three airports are required for the integration of public transportation systems.”

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