Querétaro-San Luis Potosí passenger train to cross Gogorrón National Park

A new passenger train project connecting Querétaro and San Luis Potosí is set to impact the Gogorrón National Park. The 237-kilometer railway, capable of speeds up to 200 km/h, will traverse 96.08 hectares of the protected area. Environmental impact assessments indicate that construction could lead to vegetation loss, habitat modification, and disturbances to 62 identified vertebrate species due to noise and light. To mitigate these effects, the project proposes reforesting 100 hectares, conserving soil in another 100 hectares, and rehabilitating the El Hundido wetland.

Governor Ricardo Gallardo Cardona announced that the infrastructure will include three metropolitan terminals—Potosí Industrial, Potosí Central, and Potosí Tangamanga—and stations in Altiplano municipalities such as Moctezuma, Charcas, Real de Catorce, and Vanegas to boost tourism. The plan involves three distinct lines: one for freight, one for passenger service between San Luis Potosí, Saltillo, and Querétaro, and a third for metropolitan transit. Construction is expected to begin between late 2024 and January 2027.