Chile railway news
News about railway and urban rail infrastructure, operations, policy, projects and the supply industry in Chile.
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Metro Report InternationalSantiago orders driverless metro trains
CHILE: CAF has been awarded a contract to supply and maintain six five-car trainsets as part of the project to extend Metro de Santiago’s Line 6 at both ends. CAF has previously supplied nearly 80 trainsets for lines 1, 3 and 6. The latest units from ...
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NewsAlstom to equip Chilean network with low-cost ATP and traffic management tool
CHILE: National railway EFE Trenes de Chile has awarded Alstom a €55m contract for the deployment of the Virtual Signalling Control digital traffic management tool. Known locally as CSV, the technology is to be rolled out over 1 800 km of route to provide what Alstom ...
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NewsProduction of Chilean DMUs underway in Brazil
CHILE: Representatives of EFE Trenes de Chile have visited the Caxias do Sul factory of Marcopolo Rail in Brazil to see the production of diesel multiple-units the operator has ordered. EFE signed a contract with Marcopolo Rail in January 2023 for the ...
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NewsCRRC Qishuyan delivers hydrogen locomotive to FCAB
CHILE: CRRC Qishuyan has delivered a metre-gauge hydrogen fuelled locomotive to the Ferrocarril de Antofagasta transport subsidiary of mining company Antofagasta that links the Chilean seaport with the same name to Bolivia. The sole locomotive, ordered in November 2022, is designed to be resilient to local ...
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NewsEFE launches Curicó – Talca – Linares regional service
CHILE: National operator EFE has introduced regional passenger services between Curicó, Talca and Linares, as part of a government programme to enhance regional train services. President Gabriel Boric announced in June 2023 that local services would be introduced in three regions under the Trenes de Cercanía ...
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NewsConcepción area railway enhancement scheme presented
CHILE: A US$3·2bn railway investment plan for the Biobío region, centred on Greater Concepción, was presented on May 17 by Minister of Transport & Telecommunications Juan Carlos Muñoz, Minister General Secretary of Government Camila Vallejo, and President of state railways group EFE, Eric Martin. The scheme ...
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NewsCRRC electro-diesel multiple-units enter service in Chile
CHILE: The six four-car electro-diesel multiple-units that CRRC Sifang supplied for regional operator EFE Central have entered revenue services on the Santiago Estación Central – Curicó route. A ceremony on January 19 has been attended by Minister Secretary General of the Government, Camila Vallejo, Minister of ...
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Metro Report InternationalSantiago metro extension enhances local amenities
CHILE: President Gabriel Boric has inaugurated a 5·2 km extension of Santiago metro Line 2. The four-station section at the south end of the route takes Line 2 from La Cisterna to Hospital El Pino, and it has been built at a cost of US$409·2m. Opened ...
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Metro Report InternationalSantiago metro Line 3 reaches Plaza Quilicura
CHILE: A 3·8 km northwestern extension of Santiago metro Line 3 has opened from Los Libertadores to Plaza Quilicura. The ceremony on September 25 was attended by President Gabriel Boric, Minister of Transportation & Telecommunications Juan Carlos Muñoz, and other dignities. The extension serves two intermediate ...
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NewsEFE extends Chillán – San Carlos service to Parral
CHILE: National railway EFE has extended its Chillán – San Carlos regional passenger service north to Parral, using part of the electrified main line that connects Chillán with Santiago. EFE launched the Chillán – San Carlos trains at the end of last year, and the four ...
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Metro Report InternationalSantiago’s planned metro Line 9 gets longer
Like Line 3, Line 9 is to be fully automated and will be fully accessible from street to train CHILE: President Gabriel Boric presented updated plans for the proposed metro Line 9 in Santiago on August 9. Line 9 will be the city’s ...
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NewsEFE orders 32 EMUs for Santiago suburban routes
CHILE: National railway EFE has awarded a consortium of CRRC Sifang and local partner Temoinsa a US$171·4m contract to supply 32 three-car electric multiple-units for Santiago suburban services. Announcing the contract on August 11, EFE said it was the largest single rolling stock order in the ...
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In depthInterview: Investing to create an inclusive metro
One of few metros around the world which does not receive a subsidy for day-to-day operations, Metro de Santiago can still allocate around 30% of its farebox revenues for future investment. General Manager Felipe Bravo tells Benjámin Zelki about its expansion plans, signalling upgrades, rolling stock renewal and achieving social inclusion goals.
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In depthChile: EFE invests to triple ridership by 2030
The Chilean government is investing US$8bn in the country’s railways with the aim of increasing passenger numbers threefold and boosting regional development outside the Santiago conurbation. Chief Executive of national operator EFE José Solorza Estévez explains the strategy to Benjámin Zelki.
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NewsSantiago suburban EMU order increased
CHILE: National railway group EFE announced on July 21 that it had exercised an option to order three three-car electric multiple-units from CRRC to increase capacity on the Santiago – Rancagua suburban service. EFE ordered six three-car EMUs from CRRC for the route in September 2019 ...
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NewsEFE to launch more regional passenger services
CHILE: President Gabriel Boric announced on June 1 that regional train services are to be introduced in three regions under the Trenes de Cercanía 30/30 programme.
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NewsConsortium selected to renovate Santiago suburban lines
CHILE: National railway EFE has selected a 50:50 consortium of Systra and domestic engineering company Zañartu to modernise the Santiago – Melipilla and Santiago – Batuco lines to enable the launch of dedicated suburban services.
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NewsValparaíso – Santiago passenger revival planned
CHILE: Plans to reintroduce passenger services between Santiago and Valparaíso have been announced by President Gabriel Boric. The revival of the services which last ran in 1986 forms part of the government’s Trains for Chile investment programme. The president said the end-to-end journey time ...
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NewsUnderground suburban station in Santiago approved
CHILE: The government has granted environmental approval for the construction of a 3·2 km double-track tunnel and underground station to serve Santiago’s Central-Alameda complex as part of the Alameda – Melipilla suburban rail scheme.
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NewsFirst bi-mode inter-city trainset for Chile on test
CHILE: The first of six four-car electro-diesel multiple-units that CRRC Sifang is building for regional operator EFE Central is on test in China.