Can Mexico’s New Mega Train Solve its Regional Inequality?

Tren Maya, Mexico's new mega-train line across the Yucatan Peninsula, aims to boost the economy in the South and solve the country's regional inequality. But how big an impact will it really have both economically and environmentally when it opens?

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00:00 Introduction
01:14 ‘Tren Maya’ Project
03:08 Mexico’s Economic Inequality
05:41 Environmental Impacts
06:42 Could it Work?
07:57 Brilliant

[pottertheavenger]

The idea is to kickstart a revival of passenger train across the country. It's commonly believed that the next great railway will be Guadalajara-México-Querétaro.

[breadbaskets]

I dont think a single rail project has ever gone under budget, the initial number is always smaller than the final one

[Steve-dxdq]

Giant rail project takes 2.5 years to build.
Meanwhile the crosstown train in Toronto has taken like 12 years, still not done.

[renatohuarte]

The Project of the Interoceanic Train Is also worth analyzing since it might have an important role with the Panama Canal having not enough water.

[cheensenm]

Criticism aside, this train project still look better than many stalled American rail project (except Brightline train), and Mexican train quality can potentially step ahead of USA if they also revitalizing another derelict train line, and resurrecting long gone passenger line between major cities.

[marcoutep]

The Yucatan peninsula is almost as large as Germany which lacks infrastructure for economic development. The train Maya will definitely help and it's amazing that a modern railroad system which will expand almost all of Germany territory will be finished in four years. Good for you Mexico.

[CKW]

The US needs to look at Poland as an example, as it's now starting to be a powerhouses of Europe. Mexico can be a European country in North America if they keep moving in the right direction.

[adriangarcia]

But there is something you hasn't talk about and is literaly related to this project: The interoceanic corridor route that also has been built on this zone that is connecting cargo from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, that also is integrated to this project too. Which means that all this zone of the contry can has a good revenue, such as getting integrated on the proces of developing new industries and services along that route. And it make sense if you get to know what has been hapenning with the Panama's canal during the past recent times.

[JosephStJames]

As someone with family in the Yucatan peninsula, I view this project extremely positively. While the single-ticket price is high, it is actually very reasonable for someone who wants out of a small impoverished village. It will not only bring in people, but it will also allow people to escape generations of poverty. And as is the custom in Mexico, money will then be sent back to those poorer towns. Given that the host of this video seems to be from train-rich Great Britain or Europe, I don't think he can disparage a rail project too much.

[RipCityBassWorks]

Damn that's impressive: Mexico built a new mainline in 2.5 years, yet the US has been working on CAHSR for over a decade with little progress.

[kevinschultz]

Speaking as someone who went to Cancun a few months ago, I would TOTALLY have taken a train to those destinations. As it was, I went on a bus tour of Chichen Itza - it was fine (and I'm glad I did it), but a train line would have made it much more convenient, and I probably would have seen more than just that one, if the rail was available.

I'm guessing it'll also connect the Cancun airport to the Hotel District, which would have been handy. (Although the local bus lines within the district was excellent, IMO - I rode that thing every day.)

I can't speak to the utility of it for the locals, of course. But as a gringo on vacation? Sure, sounds like a great idea! Although the issue of increasing the number of tourists at existing sites is well-taken; even when I was there in the boarderline off-season (October), it was still crowded.

[Playami]

the prices mentioned here are national tourist prices... there are 3 different prices... international tourist price, national tourist price (the one mentioned in this video, and a much cheaper local price.

as a Mexican that has traveled by train in 8 different countries in two continents, I am very happy that trains are coming back to Mexico thanks to the president's initiative. They were privatized in 1997 and became only for cargo. Now passenger trains are coming back hopefully in my lifetime i will be able to go by train from Tijuana all the way to Cancun.

[samuelplouvier]

The government has already mapped a national railroad system which will revitalize old vias and contemplates new ones along this decade. I'm personally excited for this project because my grandad was a mechanic who worked on trains and small planes in Chiapas, unfortunately he passed before he could see Tren Maya completed but I'm traveling on it to honor him.

[carlospcpro]

As a Mexican (that actually lives in México and often travels to Cancun) with no political attachments, I can say its a very good project, but its been rushed in order to please the president's desires. Did some things wrong (rushing opening without having finished the stations, not taking a better care for the forest and most importantly, for a few "cenotes" underground), but did other things very good (like hiring Alstom and making the trains in México). Im glad we now have a world class modern passenger train in one of the most beautiful parts of the country - and the world I should say -, but if you are a foreigner please be careful with all the romanticism and political fanatics surrounding the project. Its not real high speed, has had a ton of delays on the first opened parts, there's a lot under construction, legal battles with previous land owners, etc ... but I really hope to have a great success, I believe trains offer a much better transportation experience, especially for tourist.

[EpsilonNPC]

It feels every road and rail project always has someone calling it an environmental disaster

[swaggery]

I feel tempted to go back to Mexico just to try out the train. ADO buses were world class quality too. At least from the tourism perspective in the region, they always hit their mark.

[glenntaylor]

I’d imagine the biggest goal is to develop the knowledge of how to build high speed rail because their neighbour in the North is the richest in the world and can’t build a railway for shit. How easy will it be for congress to approve a multibillion dollar project by a friendly neighbour who has a track record of building high speed. The short term benefits also speak for themselves and spreads the wealth. Linking tulum and cancun with the unesco world heritage sites will only help but improve the financial turmoil the south of Mexico finds itself. Best of luck with this Mexico.

[ignaciopardo]

The train is not even high speed, but it's still a good project. I would say that a line between Mexico and Guadalajara or Mexico and Monterrey would be more usefull though. The history of passenger trains in Mexico is quite interesting. Horrible misspronunciation aside🇲🇽, great video as always!!!

[theskv]

1:22 the state of "Chippy Ass" lmao please practice saying the names of places before recording
4:34 you pronounced it much more closely here which is great lol

[Phil_AKA_ThundyUK]

Sometimes progress has a cost. If we never did anything for fear of consequences we'd still be living in caves. The UK can stand to learn from this.