CHILE: Passenger services restarted on April 22 on the Puerto Montt – Llanquihue line after a gap of 18-years.
The 27 km long, 1 676 mm gauge unelectrified route is the southernmost part of the Chilean network. National railway EFE says that rehabilitation works have included track reconstruction and the rebuilding of the Paloma terminus in Puerto Montt, as well as the installation of road and pedestrian crossings.
Six pairs of trains are running each day, but this is to be increased in the medium term, according to EFE. These serve intermediate stations at Alerce and Puerto Varas and complete the journey in 37 min.
In June 2023 President Gabriel Boric announced that local passenger services are to be introduced in three regions under the Trenes de Cercanía 30/30 programme.
The first was launched in the same month over the 29·6 km railway between Temuco and Pitrufquén in the La Araucanía region, and services on the 114·7 km long route between Curicó, Talca and Linares were introduced in June 2024.
