The director of the Querétaro State Mobility Agency (AMEQ), Gerardo Cuanalo Santos, stated that one of the main challenges, and at the same time the greatest opportunity, with the arrival of the Mexico–Querétaro passenger train will be to achieve the integration of the prepaid system with the Qrobús public transportation system.
He explained that if users can use a single card to travel on both buses and trains, it would open the door to a modern, efficient mobility model with a metropolitan vision.
“If we achieve this integration, the train will not only be a means of traveling to Mexico City, we will also be able to use it as a suburban train between El Marqués and Querétaro, with agile transfers and a unified payment system that simplifies life for users,” he noted.
Cuanalo Santos indicated that Qrobús is already technologically, legally, and financially prepared to take this step. However, he emphasized that it will depend on the guidelines established by the federation regarding the use of passenger trains.
The official emphasized that the terminal’s location in the Los Héroes area of El Marqués will transform mobility in the metropolitan area.
“This station will set the standard for connecting communities, industrial areas, hospitals, universities, and schools. The growth of El Marqués is evident, and we must respond with public transportation that is up to par,” he stated.
In this regard, he noted that work is underway to create a transfer point that will connect different routes to the rail terminal, with the goal of meeting the user demand that will be generated in the area.
Although all the technical details of the terminal and the complementary road infrastructure are not yet available, the head of the AMEQ (Mexico City-Mexico Regional Government) announced that it will be necessary to redesign public transportation routes and frequencies. He acknowledged that there is already congestion in Los Héroes due to the construction, which will require an increase in service capacity once the terminal is operational.
“Today we can’t just talk about two new routes; we have to think about a system adapted to the frequency of users the station will have. The important thing is that as the construction progresses, we can adjust the planning and respond with real solutions,” he emphasized.
Finally, Cuanalo emphasized that the arrival of the train should not be seen solely as a link to Mexico City, but as a trigger to rethink internal mobility in Querétaro.
“The station in El Marqués is an opportunity to redesign our system, make it more integrated and efficient, and address the economic and social growth experienced in the metropolitan area,” he concluded.
Source: plazadearmas
