Quintana Roo Still Leads Maya Train Ridership Despite Domestic Dip

A Maya Train traveling through Quintana Roo, the route that carried eight of every ten riders in the first half of 2026.

Mexico — Eight out of every 10 passengers who rode the Maya Train during the first six months of 2026 traveled through Quintana Roo, making the state the network’s most commercially important corridor.

Of the 607,000 people who used the train between January and June, 491,452 boarded at stations in Quintana Roo, according to official statistics. That was down 5.73% from the 521,339 passengers recorded in the same period last year.

International ridership, however, surged. Foreign passenger numbers grew from 42,364 in the first half of 2025 to 109,981 this year, a 159.61% jump that added 67,617 new international users to the rail network. The increase helped offset an overall decline in ridership of about 5.7% across the Yucatan Peninsula circuit.

Domestic travel took the biggest hit. During the peak vacation months of January and April, 478,975 passengers used the train, with the Cancún–Mérida Teya route among the most heavily traveled. National passenger totals in Quintana Roo fell 20.36% year over year, a drop of 97,504 Mexican travelers.

To counter the slowdown seen in May and June, the Tourism Department launched a promotional drive, including a partnership with Air Europa that offers a 10% discount on flights for passengers who also use the Maya Train. The effort also added gastronomy-focused routes.

In June alone, the Maya Train made 4,504 runs across Quintana Roo.

Discover more from Riviera Maya News

Sign up to receive a summary of the best news in your inbox, every day.

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

By Laura Castillo

Laura Castillo covers tourism, business, and economic development across Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and the wider Riviera Maya for Riviera Maya News & Events. She tracks the region's most important business stories — from hotel investments and airline route expansions to real estate market trends and local economic policy — helping English-speaking readers stay informed about the economic pulse of Mexico's Caribbean coast.Laura has been reporting on Quintana Roo's tourism sector since 2020, closely monitoring developments in Cancun's hotel zone, Tulum's rapidly growing commercial corridor, and the evolving business landscape in Playa del Carmen. Her coverage includes corporate investments, employment trends, infrastructure projects, and the economic impact of events like sargassum seasons and hurricane preparation.Before joining Riviera Maya News & Events, Laura worked in business development and market analysis in the Riviera Maya region, giving her first-hand insight into how tourism, real estate, and local commerce intersect. She is fluent in English and Spanish.For story tips: laura@rivieramayanews.mx