Chile railway news

News about railway and urban rail infrastructure, operations, policy, projects and the supply industry in Chile.

  • Santiago Melipilla construction starts (image EFE) (1)
    News

    Santiago – Melipilla signalling contract awarded as civil works start

    2025-12-02T15:00:00Z

    CHILE: Construction has begun on the 61 km Santiago – Melipilla suburban rail project, and a contract has been let to deliver ETCS Level 2 train control along the route.

  • Santiago Batuco suburban rail contract (image Claudio Castro)
    News

    Reconstruction of first section of Santiago – Batuco railway tendered

    2025-09-11T14:00:00Z

    CHILE: EFE has signed a US$470m contract with the Constructora Gran Andes consortium for the first section of civil works to reconstruct the Santiago – Batuco railway.

  • Impression of future Santiago – Almeda station looking towards Melipilla
    News

    EFE receives bids for Santiago – Melipilla suburban rail project as subcontract awarded

    2025-09-10T13:00:00Z

    CHILE: A contract has been let for renewal of the Malloco – Santiago Lo Errázuriz section of the Santiago - Melipilla suburban rail scheme, while national railway EFE has received bids for civil works for an underground section of the route in the centre of the capital city.

  • inicio-obras-linea-9-presidente-boric.jpg__1440x2000_q70_subsampling-2
    Metro Report International

    ‘An act of justice’ promised as Santiago metro Line 9 construction starts

    2025-09-05T14:00:00Z

    CHILE: Construction of Santiago’s 27 km metro Line 9 has begun with a ceremony at the future La Pintana depot site.

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    News

    Chilean suburban rail project supervision contract awarded

    2025-06-11T15:00:00Z

    CHILE: National railway EFE has awarded an €18·6m project oversight package as part of the Santiago – Melipilla railway project.

  • Trains return to Puerto Montt (image EFE) (3)
    News

    Passenger trains return to Puerto Montt after 18 years

    2025-04-25T13:00:00Z

    CHILE: Passenger services on the Puerto Montt – Llanquihue line have restarted after a gap of 18-years.

  • The new DMUs (left) will replace MAN Ferrostaal units dating from 1962.
    News

    Chilean operator unveils metre-gauge DMU

    2025-04-22T15:38:00Z

    CHILE: National operator EFE Trenes de Chile has unveiled the first of three Prosper VLT diesel multiple-units which Brazilian manufacturer Marcopolo is supplying for the metre-gauge line from Talca to Constitución.

  • ransap has ordered four Wabtec C30ACi diesel locomotives as part of its fleet renewal plans.
    News

    Chilean freight operator orders Wabtec locos

    2025-01-24T13:00:00Z

    CHILE: Rail logistics company Transap has ordered four Wabtec C30ACi diesel locomotives as part of its fleet renewal plans. The C30ACi is designed for routes with light axle-loads and sharp curves, with AC individual-axle traction control technology enabling one loco to do the work of two ...

  • Santiago metro trains (Photo CAF)
    Metro Report International

    Santiago orders driverless metro trains

    2024-12-12T16:22:00Z

    CHILE: CAF has been awarded a contract to supply and maintain six five-car trainsets as part of the project to extend Metro de Santiago’s Line 6 at both ends. CAF has previously supplied nearly 80 trainsets for lines 1, 3 and 6. The latest units from ...

  • cl EFE rolling stock at Alameda Central (image Railway Gazette)
    News

    Alstom to equip Chilean network with low-cost ATP and traffic management tool

    2024-10-30T14:00:00Z

    CHILE: National railway EFE Trenes de Chile has awarded Alstom a €55m contract for the deployment of the Virtual Signalling Control digital traffic management tool. Known locally as CSV, the technology is to be rolled out over 1 800 km of route to provide what Alstom ...

  • EFKZ7634
    News

    Production of Chilean DMUs underway in Brazil

    2024-09-23T13:00:00Z

    CHILE: Representatives of EFE Trenes de Chile have visited the Caxias do Sul factory of Marcopolo Rail in Brazil to see the production of diesel multiple-units the operator has ordered. EFE signed a contract with Marcopolo Rail in January 2023 for the ...

  • FCAB hydrogen loco delivered (photo CRRC)
    News

    CRRC Qishuyan delivers hydrogen locomotive to FCAB

    2024-08-06T11:00:00Z

    CHILE: CRRC Qishuyan has delivered a metre-gauge hydrogen fuelled locomotive to the Ferrocarril de Antofagasta transport subsidiary of mining company Antofagasta that links the Chilean seaport with the same name to Bolivia. The sole locomotive, ordered in November 2022, is designed to be resilient to local ...

  • EFE launches Curicó – Linares service (photos EFE) (1)
    News

    EFE launches Curicó – Talca – Linares regional service

    2024-06-19T15:00:00Z

    CHILE: National operator EFE has introduced regional passenger services between Curicó, Talca and Linares, as part of a government programme to enhance regional train services. President Gabriel Boric announced in June 2023 that local services would be introduced in three regions under the Trenes de Cercanía ...

  • Biotren image gov of Chile
    News

    Concepción area railway enhancement scheme presented

    2024-06-03T15:00:00Z

    CHILE: A US$3·2bn railway investment plan for the Biobío region, centred on Greater Concepción, was presented on May 17 by Minister of Transport & Telecommunications Juan Carlos Muñoz, Minister General Secretary of Government Camila Vallejo, and President of state railways group EFE, Eric Martin. The scheme ...

  • CRRC electro-diesel trainsets enter service with EFE (4)
    News

    CRRC electro-diesel multiple-units enter service in Chile

    2024-02-10T05:00:00Z

    CHILE: The six four-car electro-diesel multiple-units that CRRC Sifang supplied for regional operator EFE Central have entered revenue services on the Santiago Estación Central – Curicó route. A ceremony on January 19 has been attended by Minister Secretary General of the Government, Camila Vallejo, Minister of ...

  • Santiago Line 2 extension photo Metro de Santiago (3)
    Metro Report International

    Santiago metro extension enhances local amenities

    2023-12-12T05:00:00Z

    CHILE: President Gabriel Boric has inaugurated a 5·2 km extension of Santiago metro Line 2. The four-station section at the south end of the route takes Line 2 from La Cisterna to Hospital El Pino, and it has been built at a cost of US$409·2m. Opened ...

  • Santiago Line 3 extension
    Metro Report International

    Santiago metro Line 3 reaches Plaza Quilicura

    2023-10-17T11:00:00Z

    CHILE: A 3·8 km northwestern extension of Santiago metro Line 3 has opened from Los Libertadores to Plaza Quilicura. The ceremony on September 25 was attended by President Gabriel Boric, Minister of Transportation & Telecommunications Juan Carlos Muñoz, and other dignities. The extension serves two intermediate ...

  • EFE Parral
    News

    EFE extends Chillán – San Carlos service to Parral

    2023-09-28T13:00:00Z

    CHILE: National railway EFE has extended its Chillán – San Carlos regional passenger service north to Parral, using part of the electrified main line that connects Chillán with Santiago. EFE launched the Chillán – San Carlos trains at the end of last year, and the four ...

  • Line 3
    Metro Report International

    Santiago’s planned metro Line 9 gets longer

    2023-08-29T05:00:00Z

    Like Line 3, Line 9 is to be fully automated and will be fully accessible from street to train CHILE: President Gabriel Boric presented updated plans for the proposed metro Line 9 in Santiago on August 9. Line 9 will be the city’s ...

  • EFE has awarded a consortium of CRRC Sifang and local partner Temoinsa a US$171·4m contract to supply 32 three-car electric multiple-units for Santiago suburban services.
    News

    EFE orders 32 EMUs for Santiago suburban routes

    2023-08-16T14:00:00Z

    CHILE: National railway EFE has awarded a consortium of CRRC Sifang and local partner Temoinsa a US$171·4m contract to supply 32 three-car electric multiple-units for Santiago suburban services. Announcing the contract on August 11, EFE said it was the largest single rolling stock order in the ...