Preliminary study of the Mexico City – Guadalajara high-speed railway

The work involves the preliminary study of a new high-speed rail link between Mexico City and Guadalajara, two of the country’s main metropolitan areas, in order to develop a passenger transport alternative that competes with air and road travel, improving mobility and territorial cohesion in central Mexico.

The study area covers a rail corridor of approximately 606 km, passing through Santiago de Querétaro, Celaya, Salamanca and Irapuato, among other towns. The proposal combines the use of existing rail infrastructure and corridors with the construction of new high-performance sections, studying solutions capable of reaching speeds of up to 300 km/h.

SERS’s work covers the territorial and functional analysis of the corridor, the study of route alternatives and the use of existing rail lines, as well as the preliminary definition of the actions needed to introduce the new passenger service.

The study includes the geometric analysis of the route, the approaches to and crossings of the main cities, the location of stations and bypasses, and the identification of the bridges, viaducts, tunnels and other structures required. Track, electrification, signalling and safety systems are also considered, together with the estimate of investment and journey times.

The aim is to establish a technically and economically viable rail solution, making the best use of existing infrastructure and laying the foundations for a high-capacity transport corridor between the main urban centres of central Mexico.