Route for Mérida’s new tram network and Mayan Train revealed

Yucatán is planning to add up to 30 electric buses, constructed in the style of a European tram, to Mérida’s public transportation system.

The exact length of the commute from any one point to the Mayan Train Station in Teya is yet to be confirmed, but has been described by city officials as “very swift.”
The high-tech fleet — which will connect Uman, Kanasín, the north, and La Plancha in the Centro — will be programmed centrally to move at safe speeds through places like the Centro. Three routes totaling 100 kilometers will connect 137 neighborhoods on abandoned train tracks.
“This new public transit network has been designed to better integrate Mérida’s neighboring municipalities into the city’s network, which will benefit tens of thousands of workers and students,” said Yucatán Gov. Mauricio Vila.
Earlier: New modern electric ‘trams’ to connect Mérida
The new vehicles, described as a tram-electric bus hybrid, are said to have a capacity for up to 105 passengers and offer great flexibility.
The new routes have been described as running along pre-existing cargo train paths built through the city, which have long been mostly out of use.
These electric trams/buses have been hailed as carbon emission free as they are completely electric. However, the government has yet to announce how the electricity for these vehicles is to be produced.
At its furthest point, the new public transit network will run through Umán to the small community of Poxila, best known for its hacienda and archaeological site, which is currently closed to the public and run by the hacienda itself.


Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer and adventure leader. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.