[OPINION COLUMN]
A year ago, we witnessed the affection that Chile has for the train. It was in the National Congress, when a warm and collective applause was heard after the President announced his decision to move forward with the Valparaíso-Santiago train project, a popular, shared longing that has been anticipated for decades.
After their decline in the 1980s, our country has been putting its money on trains – at first timidly, but with increasing determination – because of their multiple benefits, especially now that traffic congestion has increased so much. This requires a clear state-led vision, as these are long-term projects that transcend governments. And that is how we have understood it, taking the message we have received and adding our own stamp to it.
"The commitment we have as a country and as a government to railway development is not in doubt, since it allows for progress and social and territorial equity.”
That is why we can state with pride that our country has that vision. The “Trains for Chile” (Trenes para Chile) plan includes a series of initiatives in different regions focused on developing suburban trains that will progressively connect the country, promoting efficient, sustainable and high-quality transport in large urban areas.
In fact, two of the six new trains that will connect Santiago with Chillán in 3 hours 40 minutes are already here in Chile. They will be the fastest trains in Latin America, which will shorten distances and bring opportunities to thousands of people.
The most immediate goal is to triple the number of passengers we transport, going from 50 to 150 million, and to double cargo capacity by 2027. These objectives will also be achieved with the Melipilla-Santiago, Batuco-Santiago, San Carlos-Chillán, Temuco-Padre Las Casas and several other services, where substantial progress has already been made.
The commitment we have as a country and as a government to railway development is not in doubt, since it allows for progress and social and territorial equity. Offering better connectivity and mobility aims to directly improve people’s quality of life, and trains are at the heart of that commitment.
Juan Carlos Muñoz, Transport and Telecommunications Minister