Colombia’s Ambitious Projects for Rail Connectivity

Colombia is pursuing key projects for the reactivation of its railroad network connecting the center of the country. These projects currently involve the departments of Cundinamarca, Boyaca, Santander, and Norte de Santander. The objective is to improve conditions for tourism, trade, and commerce in these regions and is part of one of the Colombian government’s main lines of action: the recovery of railroad operations.

This important investment promotes a national plan to revitalize the railroad transportation of cargo and passengers, vital for the economy and citizen service. According to information from the Vice Minister of Infrastructure, in 2023 only 37% of the railroad network was active, moving only 11% of national production.

Rail initiatives based on collaboration between governments are moving forward in Colombia. For example, the department of Cundimarca is moving ahead with the Regiotram, the commuter train that will connect Bogota with the outlying municipalities and even Facatativa. On the other hand, the government of Boyaca is promoting the reactivation of this transportation system through the medium-speed train project that seeks to connect this eminently agricultural and tourist department with Bogota. With stations in the municipalities of Duitama, Paipa and Tunja, the aim is to strengthen trade and tourism from the country’s capital to the department.

Connecting Colombia’s capital city with its immediate surroundings

The main objective of the national and regional governments is to reduce distances with an ecological system. As for Cundinamarca, the department in which Bogota is located, the aim is to connect the capital with the cities on the periphery, something that is currently complex, since the roads are saturated practically all day long.

The Western Regiotram (Regiotram de Occidente) aims to move at least 130,000 passengers per day on a 40-kilometer route between Facatativa and Bogota, also connecting Funza, Mosquera and Madrid. The construction of the project, with an estimated budget of 3.6 billion pesos, will be financed 69% by the national government and 31% by the Government of Cundinamarca. It is expected to be a 100% electric system and will be integrated with the first line of the Bogota Metro at 26th Street and Caracas Ave.

The construction of the workshop yard in Facatativa is currently underway, with a progress rate of 13%. The Government of Cundinamarca expects to start work on the rail corridor soon so that the system, consisting of 18 trains, will be operational by 2026. This project not only promotes the efficiency of public transportation, but also boosts economic development and connectivity in the region, benefiting the inhabitants of Cundinamarca and users who travel daily between the capital and the surrounding municipalities.

Railroads to Boyaca

The country’s rail connection has been a pending issue in Colombia for years, which gives these projects added importance. Beyond the commuter train connection between Bogota and its immediate surroundings, the connectivity will extend to the neighboring department of Boyaca. The recovery of the railroad will bring cities such as Tunja closer to Bogota, both in the transport of goods to the capital of the country, as well as in the mobility of people between the two capitals.

The Secretariat of Infrastructures of Boyaca announces that the first phase of the works is expected to be completed in October. These correspond to the pre-feasibility study, which would lead to the completion of phases two and three, technical development and budget, by the end of 2025, when the search for resources would begin.

The governor of Boyaca, Carlos Amaya, was optimistic about this project, after signing a financing agreement with the National Infrastructure Agency (ANI) in January. “We will continue articulating efforts to make our dream of transporting both cargo and passengers between Boyaca and the capital of the Republic a reality (…) Our dream is that Boyaca will have a lot of cargo to transport to Bogotá, but also that many passengers from Bogota will go to live in Boyaca”, said Governor Amaya.

Third project: from Santander to the Caribbean coast

There is a third project that is currently in the feasibility study phase. It is the so-called Tren del Catatumbo, which seeks to connect the department of Norte de Santander with the Caribbean, promoting agriculture and tourism.

The feasibility study was awarded for more than 7,360 million pesos and within fifty weeks the technical, economic, environmental and social aspects of the project must be defined, for which there are two possible routes; both departing from Cucuta, capital of Norte de Santander, and reaching Gamarra (Cesar) or Santa Marta (Magdalena). The project’s feasibility is expected to be known in November 2024, opening up commercial and transportation possibilities in the region.

This railroad would have a great impact on the economy, as it would reduce the current high costs of farm products that reach the coast exclusively by road. According to data from the regional government of Norte de Santander, 2.62 million tons of products such as cereals and construction elements such as cement, steel, and metals are expected to be moved along this line.

Rail projects in Colombia have the challenge of becoming a reality. Hand in hand with the collaboration between regional and national governments, the improvement in transportation and the use of less polluting energies are key factors in this revolution in connectivity.