Costa Rica: Light Railway Feasibility Study Begins

The project involves the construction and operation of an electric train covering a distance of 75 kilometers, linking Cartago, San José, Heredia and Alajuela.

The results of the study by Spanish companies will be given to the Costa Rican Institute of Railways (Incofer) in March 2012.

"We intend to use TREN-TRAM trains, which are machines capable of moving at 50km/h in town and 80 km/h in less built-up areas.

The trains will have the capacity to carry between 300 and 400 passengers in three or four self-propelled cars", reads an article on Nacion.com.

Source: Nacion.com

More on this topic

Feasibility Study for Light Rail

December 2011

For the third time in the last 8 years a feasibility study has been done for the development of rail links within the Greater Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica's capital.

Funding for this study now comes from a donation of $800 thousand from the Spanish state run company Ferrocarriles de Vía Estrecha (FEVE), which in recent years has worked with railroad equipment currently in use by the Costa Rican Institute of Railways (Incofer).

Costa Rica: $345 million for Metropolitan Train Project

March 2009

There are six companies interested in the 35-year concession of the Metropolitan Electric Train (TREM).

The project would involve the construction and operation of an electric train. The first section would be between San Jose and Heredia. The total investment is $345 million of which the state will provide $100 million and the remainder would be the responsibility of the concessionaire which will have 35 years to recover the investment.

Costa Rica: Presidential Hopeful Plans to Build Railway

May 2012

Jose Maria Figueres, a former president with great potential to make a comeback in 2014, has proposed building a high speed light railway within the metropolitan area.

"During my government, I closed the railroad because I saw it as being 200 years old with narrow lines and it also had a tremendous deficit (as it was we used by only 3% of Costa Ricans).

Guatemala Plans Train to Antigua

November 2010

The Government is working to put out to tender the construction of a railway connecting the capital with the city of Antigua.

With an estimated investment of $50 to $60 million, the train would connect Aurora International Airport with the city of Antigua in 12 minutes, covering about 22 linear km.