EFE postpones underground section of Melipilla Train project

EFE Trenes de Chile has announced a postponement of the underground section of the Melipilla Train project and declared the tender for that segment void. As a result, the service, which is expected to begin operations in 2028, will no longer terminate at Estación Central.

The decision stems from a need to optimize investments and difficulties regarding municipal fees for the use of public national assets (BNUP) for the underground stretch between Lo Errázuriz and Alameda. EFE will instead focus resources on the two sections currently under construction: Cerrillos-Malloco and Malloco-Melipilla, totaling 58 kilometers.

When operational, the service will initially connect Talagante to the capital via the future Lo Errázuriz intermodal station, where passengers can transfer to Metro Line 6. The broader 61-kilometer project aims to benefit over 1.7 million people and transport approximately 57 million passengers annually across several communes, including Melipilla, El Monte, Talagante, Peñaflor, Padre Hurtado, Maipú, and Cerrillos.