Tren Maya’s New Restaurant Car Serves Up Flavors of Yucatán

The Mayan Train, which is what gringos tend to call the Tren Maya, has begun operating its long-promised restaurant car, and its first outing featured a tasting menu centered on Yucatecan classics.

Mexico’s tourism secretary, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, said the new dining experience, called Janal — a Maya word meaning “food” — is meant to turn the railway into more than just transportation.

“Traveling through the southeast also means getting to know it through its flavors,” she said, adding that the addition shows destinations along the route “aren’t just visited, they’re lived.”

The debut run traveled between the Mérida–Teya and Izamal stations. Chef David Cetina Medina, of the Mérida restaurant La Tradición and known for his work preserving traditional Yucatecan cooking, led the kitchen for the inaugural trip, pairing regional ingredients with table service as the train rolled past the countryside.

Janal isn’t meant to stop at Yucatecan food. Tren Maya officials said the concept will expand to draw on the cooking of all five states the railway passes through — Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo — with chefs and restaurant owners from each region invited to design future menus.

The move builds on plans Tren Maya first outlined for a dining car and companion craft beer brand, developed with the Yucatecan brewer Cerveza Ceiba. Officials have described the goal as making Janal one of the region’s culinary showcases rather than a simple meal service, according to an official statement.

For now, Tren Maya has not released a regular schedule or ticket pricing for Janal trips, so travelers hoping to book a seat should watch the railway’s official channels for updates.

Fast Facts

• Janal means “food” in the Maya language
• Debut route: Mérida–Teya to Izamal stations
• Chef: David Cetina Medina, of La Tradición restaurant in Mérida
• Eventual menu will draw on cuisine from Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo
• Companion beer brand made in partnership with Cerveza Ceiba

With reporting from Clase Turista, with additional background from Tren Maya’s official announcements