The AIFA-Pachuca train faces its first challenge: its cost has increased by 10%.

The current federal government's priority project of adding new passenger trains faced its first challenge: a cost increase of 5,179.5 million pesos in the construction of the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA)-Pachuca section.

Information from the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) indicates that the required investment increased by 10%, from 51,874.9 million pesos (as initially recorded based on its cost-benefit analysis) to 57,054.4 million pesos between May and June of this year.

This 57.5-km train with double electrified track (which includes the purchase of rolling stock) is part of the so-called Mexico-Pachuca train and is being carried out by engineers from the Ministry of National Defense (Defensa), who began construction on March 24 with a completion date of 18 months.

According to reports on the economic situation, public finances, and public debt, at the end of June, the AIFA-Pachuca passenger train had made 9% physical progress, and 18,988.2 million pesos in resources had been allocated, of the 24,670 million pesos earmarked for it to date.

El Economista asked the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT), as the sector's head, the reasons for the aforementioned increase, given that the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF), one of its decentralized bodies, coordinates the construction of passenger trains, including Mexico City-Nuevo Laredo and Mexico City-Nogales, divided into various sections.

The response was as follows: "This increase corresponds to the provisions for rolling stock from Mexico City to Pachuca, derived from the market survey, and for the release of right-of-way." No further details were provided.

Regarding these arguments, the ARTF is currently in charge of the bidding process for the purchase of 15 trains with a capacity of 700 passengers each, which will be used on the Mexico-Pachuca train.

In addition, last week, news reports were published in which the Secretary of Public Infrastructure and Sustainable Urban Development (SIPDUS) of Hidalgo, Alejandro Sánchez, said that because there are many homes and properties that cross the right-of-way for the construction of the train (in the area of the municipality of Zempoala), it is planned to modify the route, because it is the most convenient.

Mexico-Querétaro and branch to AIFA

The construction of the Mexico-Querétaro train and the branch line from the Lechería station (of the Suburban Train) to the AIFA, also being carried out by military engineers, is making progress in budget execution, despite not having earmarked funds to start in 2025.

In the first case, during the first quarter it was not yet registered in the SHCP investment portfolio, so it did not have a directly assigned resource and in the second quarter it already appeared with a total cost of 166,974.4 million pesos, of which 22,451.9 million pesos were already tagged, of which 64 percent had been exercised until the end of June,

Regarding the branch line, which was announced last February would be completed by Defense personnel, 2.823 billion pesos have been allocated to it through the first half of the year, of which 2.8 billion pesos have been spent because there is a commitment to have it operational by December to increase passenger flows to the AIFA.

Regarding his new construction assignment, the commander of the Felipe Ángeles Defense Engineering Group, General Ricardo Vallejo Suárez, said: "We have the experience. We have built more than 900 kilometers of track (on the Mayan Train). We are equipped with the best machinery and equipment. We have many young civil engineers and architects from various schools, highly motivated, qualified, and already highly experienced in railway projects."

Thus, he and his team will have to face the new challenges they will face in the coming months.