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Mexico is building a modern high-speed passenger train network
Mexico is reviving long-distance passenger rail travel after decades of decline and disinvestment.
The Mexican government under Presidents Enrique Peña Nieto, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and Claudia Sheinbaum has progressively pushed passenger rail projects, reversing a long downward trend. This marks a structural shift as railways return to the forefront of transport policy following decades of privatization and focus on freight.
Passenger rail in Mexico once flourished: the network expanded from 9,500 km in 1890 to more than 19,000 km by 1910. Yet, by the 1980s, passenger service had nearly vanished, displaced by air travel and highways. Peña Nieto’s administration initiated ambitious bullet train plans, though some projects were canceled or postponed. López Obrador’s term saw the launch of the Tren Maya tourist line about a year ago. Since Claudia Sheinbaum took office in October 2024, efforts have accelerated, including a constitutional reform restoring government control of railways—an initiative surprisingly supported by opposition parties. Current projects include new lines connecting Mexico City to Querétaro, Nuevo Laredo, and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, as well as service to the Santa Lucía airport.
The Tren Maya’s completion and other lines are expected to advance in the near term.
Passenger Trains are Making a Comeback in Mexico
By Foreign Native, Mexperience | Experience More of Mexico
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Montana’s Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority
Restoring Passenger Rail to Southern Montana and Beyond
Traveling through seven states, Amtrak’s North Coast Limited/Hiawatha connected Chicago, Illinois to Seattle, Washington. Operating for more than 80 years, the discontinuation of this line in 1979 severed access to passenger rail to the largest cities in Montana and North Dakota and small towns in between. As a result, a vast expanse of the Greater Northwest Region lacks passenger rail service.
Today, more than 2,000 miles from the Great Lake to the Pacific and 800 miles from Great Falls to Denver no longer have access to passenger rail service. It’s time to provide passenger rail service to all of America. The benefits of restored service are many.
