Maya Train to Lose 760 Million Pesos in 2026

MEXICO — The Maya Train will continue to receive millions in public funds and generate losses for another year. According to the 2026 Federal Expenditure Budget Project (PPEF), the state-owned enterprise will not generate the necessary resources to maintain its operations, with projected operational losses reaching 760 million pesos.

Government estimates indicate that the Maya Train will generate revenue from the sale of its services totaling 1.271 billion pesos, a considerable increase of 86 percent compared to projections for the end of this year.

The increase in train ticket sales, along with a commercial strategy that contemplates variations in the prices of the routes, will not be sufficient to cover operational costs, which will similarly increase for the following year. In this regard, the operating cost of the Maya Train will amount to 2.031 billion pesos, representing a 34 percent growth in operational spending compared to what is projected for this year.

The administration of Claudia Sheinbaum is betting on maintaining passenger traffic on the various sections of the railway project, as the freight division of the same Maya Train is completed. This freight component is expected to provide the economic solvency to avoid losses.

The director of the Maya Train, Óscar Lozano Águila, has stated that the losses of the state-owned enterprise will continue even if it reaches its target for transported passengers, as the break-even point will be reached towards the end of the decade, when the freight train is operating at its medium capacity.

Although over 30 billion pesos have been requested for the project in the next year's budget, the majority of these resources will be used for the development of the Maya Train's logistics centers, as well as the infrastructure that will serve as the route for the freight railroads.