Mexico reopens Line K of the Interoceanic Train and boosts regional mobility

Mexico reopened Line K of the Interoceanic Railway, boosting connectivity in the southeast after two decades of inactivity and marking a new advance for mobility and regional development.

President Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated the Arriaga station (Chiapas) over the weekend, part of Line K of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec . The section, which connects Ixtepec (Oaxaca) with the Chiapas border with Guatemala, underwent a complete rehabilitation for its reactivation after more than 20 years out of operation.

Sheinbaum led the first leg of the journey between Tonalá, Arriaga, and Ixtepec, considered key to strengthening connectivity in the southeast. On Monday, she stated that the Interoceanic Train is “very important” for regional development, improving the mobility of people and goods and connecting with the Economic Development Hubs for Well-being (Podecobi).

After inaugurating section 1 of Line K, the "Isthmus-Soconusco" line, he emphasized that the train "will greatly improve the movement of people and goods between Mexico and Central America, and will contribute to the development of the region." He added that "there are two new hubs in Tapachula, another in Arriaga, and six more along the entire Interoceanic Railway (on Line Z)." He indicated that it is currently possible to travel from Tonalá to Ixtepec, as well as from Salina Cruz to Coatzacoalcos and from Coatzacoalcos to Palenque, and that work is underway to extend the service to Ciudad Hidalgo and later to Guatemala.

Ticket sales began Saturday for trips from Arriaga to Tonalá and Ixtepec, with connections to other points along the corridor. The government announced that the next phase includes extending the service from Tonalá to Ciudad Hidalgo, on the border with Guatemala, with stops in municipalities such as Huixtla, where a viaduct is under construction.

Regional connectivity

The resumption of operations on Line K includes the Tonalá–Arriaga–Ciudad Ixtepec route, connecting with various points along the corridor. According to the government, more stops and increased service frequency will be added in the coming months. In addition to improving daily mobility, the reopening aims to strengthen commercial and tourism activity in Chiapas and Oaxaca, generating investment opportunities, urban development, and employment.

In Huixtla, construction is progressing with the installation of railway tracks, sleepers, and rails that will connect to the elevated viaduct, according to local press. While more stations are being opened and new sections are being built, an information campaign continues highlighting the benefits of the Interoceanic Railway, considered one of the country's most important railway projects.

The first journey took about four hours from Tonalá, on the coast of Chiapas, to Ixtepec, Oaxaca, with official stops to inaugurate each station. Sheinbaum recalled that former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador inaugurated the section between Coatzacoalcos and Palenque, where the Interoceanic Train connects with the Maya Train, and noted that work continues in Puerto Chiapas and Salina Cruz. “So, as you can see, it’s a comprehensive project in the south-southeast of the country. And the people are very, very happy,” she concluded.

(The original version of this content was written in Spanish)