El Economista – Mexico City
The first stage of the Mayan Train, which opens on December 15, aims to transport up to 880 passengers daily. as announced by General Óscar David Lozano Águila, general director of the Mayan Train.
“Of passengers, 880 per day, it cannot be more; There are four trains that will leave simultaneously from Cancun and Campeche at 7 in the morning and 11 in the morning; When we begin the opening of all sections starting on February 29, 2024, another rooster will crow for us,” said the soldier.
Although six trains have been officially delivered in Cancun, only four have completed the static and dynamic testing phase.so the remaining two will join the operation once they also complete this process.
The general recalled that Ticket sales began last Friday, December 1 at prices of 1,166 pesos for tourist class (US$67) and 1,862 pesos (US$107) for premier, although the amenities offered by each service were not specified.
In addition, assured that the recruitment of personnel has prioritized graduates of higher education institutes in the southeast of the country, in specialties such as engineering, finance, administration and economics.
“We are having an extraordinary response. We have women and men who have recently graduated from universities, from different specialties, from engineering and other sciences.”
The general specified that in the first stage, operating only between Campeche and Cancún, They will have a permanent workforce of 720 workers, while once the project begins operation of its seven sections, that is, the 1,500 kilometers, The figure will increase to more than 2,400 workers.
He said he had no information about the degree of progress of sections 5,6 and 7 that run almost entirely through Quintana Roo, Well, that part corresponds to the military engineer Gustavo Vallejo, commander of the Felipe Ángeles Corps of Engineers.
He only limited himself to commenting that in February 2024 the seven sections will be launched and The 46 trains of different categories will be delivered, so the project will now have its full capacity.
Impossible deadline
Officially it has been recognized that the Mayan Train will only partially inaugurate on December 15, but It is assured that the completed project will be ready in February 2024, However, work progress reports in the most delayed sections refer to progress of less than 50%.
On October 23 of this year, the last and most recent report was given regarding the 621 kilometers of track that cover sections 5,6 and 7 of the train, between Cancún to Escárgega.
According to said report, section 5 then had a physical progress of only 47.53% and a financial progress of 45.2%; section 6 a physical progress of 52.8% and financial progress of 47.2%, while in section 7 the physical progress was 50.9% and 43.9% in the financial aspect.