Heavy Rains Affecting Travelers’ Maya Train Experience 

Last Updated 5 months ago

The long-awaited Maya Train was inaugurated last December, and although it has already served thousands of passengers, it hasn’t been without its problems.   

There have been several incidents in which passengers were stranded or their trip has been canceled, but the most recent issue causing delays is one that involves safety.   

This is because heavy rains are not only affecting travelers’ Maya Train experience but the structure of the train track as well.   

First Tropical Storm Of The Year Causes Heavy Rains On The Yucatan Peninsula  

Hurricane Season may just be getting started, but there has already been a named tropical storm that affected the Yucatan Peninsula.   

Tropical Storm Alberto brought heavy rains to the region, putting a damper on some travelers’ vacation plans.   

There have been reports of flooding in several cities and towns, including an area in which the Maya Train runs through.   

Rains Cause Damages To The Foundation Supporting The Track 

The heavy rains brought to the region by Tropical Storm Alberto have caused damage to the foundation that the Maya Train track sits on.   

The affected area is on the western side of the peninsula.   

Rains that caused landslides in some areas also caused erosion of the foundation supporting the train’s track, which compromises the track’s stability.   

How This Is Affecting Maya Train Passengers 

As a result of the damage, passengers traveling from Palenque to Cancun Airport were affected.   

Passengers taking this trip, which started out in Palenque at 7:00 am, had to take a connection service upon arriving at the Campeche station to get to the Tenabo station.   

From there they were able to travel on to their final destination.   

Repair Work Already Underway 

Repair of the affected Maya Train section is already underway.   

It began immediately upon officials discovering the damage.   

Repairs involve stabilizing the ground underneath the damaged section of the train tracks.   

More importantly, at the same time, workers are also improving the drainage of the ground supporting the tracks, which will help prevent damage caused by rain in the future.   

Sections Of The Maya Train That Are Already Operating 

The portion of the train tracks being repaired is part of one of the five sections that are already operating.   

These five sections can take travelers all the way from Palenque, going north and passing through places like Campeche and Merida, then traveling east through Izamal, Chichen Itza, and Valladolid before reaching Cancun.   

The last section in operation travels south from Cancun to Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen.   

When The Maya Train Route Is Expected To Be Completed 

Currently, there is no date of completion set for the last two sections of the Maya Train route, one of which is the much-anticipated section connecting Cancun and Playa del Carmen to Tulum and beyond.   

Dates for the completion of the Tulum section of the Maya Train route have been changed several times.   

Work on this section has been halted indefinitely due to environmental concerns about underground caves, rivers, and cenotes.   

For now, travelers who wish to get from Cancun or Playa del Carmen to Tulum will have to continue to rely on other forms of transportation.   

Maya Train Ticket Prices 

There are still several amazing destinations that you can currently reach by Maya Train, and it’s an affordable, safe, and comfortable option.   

Tickets for a trip from Cancun to Playa del Carmen start at just around $10, and to get to the Magic Town of Valladolid from Cancun, it’ll only cost about $26.   

Even to get to the famous Mayan Archeological site of Chichen Itza, tickets only run just under $33.   

So if you’re ready to experience the Maya Train, there are plenty of places to visit, and hopefully, we’ll see fewer issues in the future affecting Maya Train travel.

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