Mexico Launches High-Speed Rail Connecting 11 Major Cities

Mexico is building one of North America's most ambitious passenger rail networks, and phase two just officially launched with routes connecting 11 major cities across the country's heartland.

The Mexican government announced that engineering studies are complete and construction is ready to begin on high-speed rail lines linking central Mexico to both the Pacific coast and northern regions. Trains will travel between 160 and 200 kilometers per hour on dedicated passenger tracks with no street-level crossings.

Construction kicks off September 24 on the first section connecting Querétaro to San Miguel de Allende, a 68-kilometer stretch that's part of the longer Querétaro-San Luis Potosí route. The Felipe Ángeles Engineering Group, the same team behind Mexico City's newest international airport, will build the Irapuato-León and León-Guadalajara sections.

Bidding for the northbound San Luis Potosí-Saltillo route happens between June and September, while the coastal Mazatlán-Los Mochis section is still in planning stages. The government is using international tenders to bring competition and cost savings to contractor selection.

The Ripple Effect

This isn't just about getting from point A to point B faster. The rail network builds on recently completed routes like the Buenavista-AIFA Interurban Train, creating an integrated system that will eventually stretch 1,100 kilometers along the Pacific corridor in phase three.

Future plans include connecting Guadalajara, Tepic, Mazatlán, Los Mochis, Guaymas and Hermosillo along the western coast. A potential fourth phase could extend the network all the way to Nogales on the U.S. border, creating a seamless passenger rail corridor from central Mexico to the American Southwest.

The Querétaro-San Luis Potosí route is designed as part of an eventual Mexico City to Nuevo Laredo corridor, connecting the capital to Texas. Regional cities like San Miguel de Allende and León will gain direct high-speed access to major metropolitan areas for the first time.

Mexico is proving that modern passenger rail can transform regional connectivity in ways that reduce traffic, lower emissions, and bring communities closer together.