Edgar Jiménez, a user of the Maya Train, recounted what it is like to travel on the railroad, according to his experience in the Yucatan Peninsula, as he gave details of the surprises he had on this summer vacation, 6 months ago he had already made a trip and was able to make a comparison: “It was stillborn,” he said and gave his testimony.
The flagship project of the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador that was inaugurated on December 15, 2023, is a work still unfinished that will one day travel a 1,554-kilometer circuit through the states of Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo.
In his X account (formerly Twitter), the engineer and digital strategist narrated the ordeal he experienced as a passenger of the Maya Train, on his second foray into the railroad, he arrived on vacation in Yucatán, so he traveled from Mérida to San Francisco de Campeche.
“I thought that after 6 months of using it for the first time when I traveled from Teya to Tixkokob, it would already have passengers or at least operational commercial premises in the train stations, but everything remains the same as six months ago,” Edgar posted on X.
In the publication where he shows photos and videos of the deserted station, he adds: “I have this and many other pieces of evidence that the station in Mérida was totally empty, it looked like a total ghost site, the only thing different is that they had CFE wifi at the station.”
First of all, one of the things that surprised the traveler while traveling on the Maya Train was that after 6 months of his first trip on it, he thought that the project would be completed, but it was not the case at all, as construction workers could be seen everywhere.
“In every corner, you could see that the workers were just finishing installing the stairs, the tracks, the screens, as if it still did not work completely well.”
In the case of the Maya Train Station in Tixkokob, on July 24, it was found that the escalators and the elevator were not working, and photographs were taken of this, as it is an obstacle for older adults, people with disabilities, or in wheelchairs.
Edgar Jiménez also lamented the expensive prices of food, with little variety and poor service, according to his experience.
El #TrenMaya NACIÓ MUERTO, un elefante blanco que JAMÁS FUNCIONARÁ. (Te cuento mi experiencia)…
— Edgar Jiménez (@citizenedgar) August 6, 2024
Si me siguen en instagram: @citizenedgar sabrán que en mis vacaciones a Yucatán viajé por segunda ocasión en el tren hacia San Francisco de Campeche, pensé que a 6 meses de usarlo… pic.twitter.com/OBOxjHXEer
“We boarded the car in the tourist section and took a table for 4 people, I went to the cafeteria where they sell cappuccino at high prices and where they serve you very poorly, they ask you to pay cash even if they have a credit card terminal.
Poor connectivity between Maya Train stations and towns
The transfer time was another unpleasant surprise, as the passenger said that the transfer time was longer than expected; showing poor connectivity of the Maya Train stations with the towns all across the peninusla.
“Our trip lasted a little over 3 hours, the train stopped a long time before reaching Campeche, its lights were flickering and suddenly we were left in the dark, when we got off in San Francisco there were no taxis available.
“Suddenly, a taxi popped out of nowhere, and the driver told us that he was already waiting for a passenger, the only option was the bus that takes you to downtown Campeche for 50 pesos, the bad thing is that the bus does not start until it is full, and had to wait with 90% humidity, heat, and mosquitoes.”
For the reasons that Edgar explained in his story, according to his experience traveling on the Maya Train, his conclusion was the following:
“The Maya Train is a failed project, worthy of an absurd presidential whim that not even the inhabitants of the region use.”
El #TrenMaya NACIÓ MUERTO, un elefante blanco que JAMÁS FUNCIONARÁ. (Te cuento mi experiencia)…
— Edgar Jiménez (@citizenedgar) August 6, 2024
Si me siguen en instagram: @citizenedgar sabrán que en mis vacaciones a Yucatán viajé por segunda ocasión en el tren hacia San Francisco de Campeche, pensé que a 6 meses de usarlo… pic.twitter.com/OBOxjHXEer
It is worth remembering that other figures such as the diver and hydrologist, expert in water quality, Guillermo D’ Christy, had previously pointed out that the Maya Train is not functional because it does not connect directly with towns.
TYT Newsroom
