Due to low passenger numbers, the Mayan Train’s section 7, which runs from Chetumal (Quintana Roo) to Escárcega (Campeche), now operates only three times a week. Departures from Chetumal are available on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 12:50 p.m., with returns on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Mondays at the same time.
The limited schedule means travelers from Cancún to Calakmul or Escárcega cannot complete the journey in a single day. In Chetumal, an intermediate stop, trains arrive at 2 p.m., over an hour after the train connection to Campeche has departed. This forces travelers to stay in Chetumal for one to three nights, depending on their departure day.
Currently, it is impossible to travel non-stop from Palenque to Calakmul, passing through Chichén Itzá, Teya, and the Riviera Maya. The originating train from Chiapas only reaches Cancún, requiring passengers to switch trains to continue to Chetumal and then to Campeche.
Despite the delivery of the first long-distance train, the P’atal model, by Alstom in September 2024, there is no set date for its operation. The P’atal, designed to accommodate 260 passengers, was announced by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador as a milestone in Mexico’s mobility. However, the train is not yet in service, as confirmed by Mayan Train ticket sales operators.
Source: El Economista
