Tren Maya: A Marvel of Engineering in Mexico’s Natural Paradise

The Train Maya is “the most complex engineering project” ever undertaken in Mexico due to all the adjustments made for environmental preservation, stated Joao Pedro Parreira, the president and CEO of Mota-Engil consortium, while sharing updates on the progress of the project in its corresponding section (South 5). He emphasized the significance of the elevated viaduct in protecting the cenotes, caves, and underground rivers of the area, as well as facilitating the passage of native flora and fauna.

During President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s morning press conference on Monday, advancements in sections 5, 6, and 7 of the Tren Maya were announced. Section 5 (Cancun to Tulum) is divided into two parts: North (Cancun to Playa del Carmen) and South (Playa del Carmen to Tulum). The North section is being constructed by the National Defense Secretariat (Sedena), while the South section is further divided into three segments, each handled by different private contractors. Sedena is also responsible for sections 6 (Tulum to Chetumal, Quintana Roo) and 7 (Chetumal-Escarcega, Campeche).

Javier May, the director general of the National Fund for Tourism Development (Fonatur), provided details that these three sections cover a 621-kilometer track spanning eight municipalities in Quintana Roo and three in Campeche. In addition to the railway, 800 complementary structures are being built, including railway bridges, drainage systems, and pedestrian, vehicular, and wildlife crossings. So far, the project has created 20,000 jobs, and the inauguration is planned for December 2023.

The route will feature eight stations (Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Tulum Airport, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Bacalar, Chetumal, and Xpujil), four stops (Limones, Nicolas Bravo, Calakmul, Centenario), a workshop (Chetumal), two depots (Tulum and Chetumal), and four maintenance bases (Puerto Morelos, Chemuyil, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, and Xpujil).

“The connectivity of Cancun Airport will be strengthened with the new Tulum Airport and the modernization of the Chetumal Airport terminal. Tren Maya hotels are being constructed in Tulum (Quintana Roo) and Calakmul (Campeche) to provide an enhanced experience in this region, which is home to important natural sites such as the Jaguar Park, the seven-color lagoon of Bacalar, and the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve,” stated Javier May.

Joao Pedro Parreira, in turn, informed that Mota-Engil is responsible for the sub-section 5 South A (from Tulum to Akumal), consisting of 27 kilometers, with approximately 75 percent (20.9 kilometers) being an elevated viaduct. He commended the skilled workforce involved in the project and the commitment to safety, stating, “The most important aspect is the dedication of over five thousand workers who are currently collaborating with us in the construction of South 5 section, all while maintaining a zero-accident policy.”

The director general of Azvindi Ferroviario, Manuel Muñozcano Castro, reported on sub-section 5 South B (from Akumal to Puerto Aventuras), which consists of 20.7 kilometers, with 70 percent (12 kilometers) being an elevated viaduct, eight kilometers of embankment on slabs, and a 300-meter cable-stayed bridge. A total of 1,419 workers have achieved progress in the placement of 548 piles, corresponding to over eight linear kilometers, 302 column pieces, and 42 heads, as well as 1,013 prefabricated beams and 1,760 prefabricated slabs. They have completed over seven kilometers of embankment and constructed more than 2.5 kilometers of concrete slabs.

Guadalupe Phillips, the director general of ICA companies, shared the progress in sub-section 5 South C (from Puerto Aventuras to Playa del Carmen), which currently stands at an overall progress of 41.2 percent. This sub-section spans 20 kilometers, with 11 kilometers of elevated viaduct and nine kilometers of embankment. The embankment has seen the most progress, reaching 61.1 percent completion. As for the Playa del Carmen station, it has achieved a 22 percent completion rate.

Regarding sections 5 North, 6, and 7, under the responsibility of Sedena, Ricardo Vallejo Suárez, commander of the Felipe Ángeles military engineer group, stated that these three sections combined cover a total of 553.6 kilometers, including both double electrified tracks and single tracks, as well as embankments and elevated viaducts. Construction began in August 2022 and is scheduled to be completed by December 2023. So far, they have generated 31,226 jobs, and the overall progress exceeds 20 percent.

“We currently have 19 construction fronts in operation to materialize the projects. We have generated 31,000 jobs, and our workforce consists of 1,300 units of heavy machinery and 1,900 construction vehicles. At this stage, our primary focus is on foundation pile drilling within the main construction works, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he explained.

The ongoing works include in-situ pouring of foundation piles and columns, prefabrication and assembly of heads, beams, and decks for elevated viaducts, material extraction from material banks and embankment formation, construction of stations and stops, as well as the stockpiling of strategic materials such as ballast, sleepers, rails, and catenary cables.