Monday, August 12, 2024 Edgar Jiménez, a recent traveler on the Tren Maya, has shared his experience with the railway, offering a candid look at the surprises he encountered during his summer vacation in the Yucatán Peninsula. Having traveled on the Tren Maya six months prior, Jiménez was eager to see the progress on the project, which officially opened on December 15, 2023, under the administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. However, his expectations were met with some disappointments.
The Tren Maya, envisioned as a 1,554-kilometer circuit connecting the states of Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo, remains an unfinished project. Despite six months passing since his last journey from Teya to Tixkokob, Jiménez found the stations largely deserted and the infrastructure incomplete. In a post accompanied by photos and videos, he described the Mérida station as a “ghost place,” albeit now equipped with Wi-Fi provided by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE).
One of Jiménez’s primary surprises was the ongoing construction work, with laborers still attending to the final touches. He also expressed disappointment with the food offerings on board, criticizing the high prices, limited variety, and subpar service. According to Jiménez, the tourist car he traveled in offered a costly cappuccino with poor service, and cash payments were preferred despite the presence of a payment terminal.
The duration of the trip presented another challenge. Jiménez noted that the transfer time was longer than expected, exacerbated by inefficient connectivity between the Tren Maya stations and surrounding towns. He recounted a three-hour journey to Campeche, marked by delays, flashing lights, and periods of darkness.
Upon arrival in Campeche City, he found that taxis were scarce, with only one driver available, who had already committed to another passenger. Jiménez’s account highlights the logistical issues still plaguing the Tren Maya. With limited transportation options upon disembarking, passengers are often left with little choice but to take a Sur Line bus, which only departs when full, leading to further delays.
Based on his experiences, Jiménez offered a bleak conclusion: “The Tren Maya is a failed project worthy of an absurd presidential whim that not even the people from the region use.” The Tren Maya, a flagship project of the Mexican government, continues to draw both interest and criticism as it navigates the challenges of completion and public acceptance. As it stands, the experiences of travelers like Jiménez suggest that there is still much work to be done before the railway can fulfill its promise as a transformative transportation option in southeastern Mexico.
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