BRAZIL: São Paulo state government has signed an agreement with Rumo Logística that provides for a package of measures needed to facilitate the introduction of the long-planned inter-city passenger services between São Paulo and Campinas.
The essential elements of the agreement cover arrangements to allow segregation of the passenger trains from Rumo’s freight operations between Jundiaí and Campinas and for other changes to Rumo’s Paulista network that would help ensure the viability of the passenger service.
The state government envisages that ‘Expresso TIC’ inter-city trains will run from Palmeiras-Barra Funda station in São Paulo to Campinas, calling at Jundiaí en route. These would be operated by a concessionaire under a public-private partnership agreement expected to be worth around R$10bn. The concessionaire would also run ‘Intermetropolitano TIM’ services between Francisco Morato and Campinas making intermediate calls at six stations as well as an upgraded and extended suburban service on what is currently CPTM Line 7.
Technical studies for introduction of the inter-city passenger services have been completed and the parties are now awaiting endorsement of the scheme by the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure so that the much-delayed tender for the operations can be launched.
São Paulo Governor Rodrigo Garcia expects that bidding for the concession will take place in time for a contract to be signed that would allow work to start on track segregation and upgrading in 2023. This would enable inter-city services to start in 2029-30. Plans envisage the use of double-deck trainsets able to cover the 101 km trip between Palmeiras-Barra Funda and Campinas in just over 1 h.
