Maya Train Sees 20% Drop in Passengers: What’s Behind the Decline?

For the first time since its launch last year, the Maya Train has experienced a drop in passenger numbers. The Rail Regulatory Agency (ARTF) reports a 20% decrease in passengers for the month of September.

The ARTF, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transport (SICT), revealed that passenger volume fell from 80,891 in August to 64,197 in September.

This decline represents a significant setback for the project, which has also been slow to generate revenue for the FONATUR Maya Train S.A. de C.V. company. This company is responsible for providing public railway transport services for both cargo and passengers.

Publicly available data shows that from January to September of last year, the company's revenue from ticket sales and other Maya Train services reached a total of 212,881,000 pesos.

Additionally, the company received 11,862,000,000 pesos in subsidies from the federal government for operations from December 2023 to January 2024.

This decrease in passenger numbers has occurred despite extensive government advertising and promotional packages offered in conjunction with the state-owned airline, Mexicana.

During a press conference on December 9, Óscar Lozano Águila, general director of the Maya Train, reported that half of the passengers are domestic tourists.

Lozano Águila also announced that in celebration of the Maya Train's first anniversary and the opening of sections 6 and 7 on December 15, the company is offering discount packages. These include accommodations in hotels near the Maya Train, such as Tulum, Chichén Itzá, Calakmul and Edzná, which are all 4-star hotels located close to archaeological sites.

The packages also include visits to the La Plancha, Tulum, and El Jaguar parks, as well as the Nuevo Uxmal, which is set to open on January 1st.

All packages include departures and arrivals at the Felipe Ángeles International Airport and flights on Mexicana, with a 25% discount. This includes a 25-kilogram suitcase allowance, flexible scheduling, and the ability to change dates.

Furthermore, the Maya Train is offering transfers at a 50% discount for domestic tourists. With these strategies, the company hopes to achieve up to 60% occupancy in hotels around tourist areas for the coming year.