This Lesser-Known Maya Train Connection Will Open Up Even More Of Mexico To Travelers 

Last Updated 10 months ago

Everybody is excited about the Maya Train being completed this year because access to so many destinations in the Mexican Caribbean and throughout the Yucatan Peninsula will be so much easier.   

It’s not just the Maya Train that will provide more access to the region than ever, though, but also its eventual connection to another railway, the Isthmus Railway.   

This lesser-known Maya Train connection will open up even more of Mexico to travelers.   

What Is The Isthmus Railway? 

The Isthmus Railway is a train system that was also inaugurated in December but with not quite the fanfare of the Maya Train.   

It currently runs between the Mexican cities of Coatzacoalcos, in the state of Veracruz, and Salina Cruz, in the state of Oaxaca, which borders the furthest cities that the Maya Train reaches.   

Additional routes are being added this year, and in the end, the Isthmus Train will cover a route of over 700 miles.   

@whatnot11

The train that will surpass the PANAMA CANAL – Discover the most important work of Mexico

♬ original sound – Happy Jacquie

How It Will Connect To The Maya Train 

By mid-2024, the Isthmus Train route will be extended to Palenque.   

In Palenque, there is also a Maya Train station.   

This will allow travelers within the range of the Maya Train to travel from Cancun and the rest of the Mexican Caribbean to the city of Coatzacoalcos and others in the region.   

@trenmaya 🚅El Tren Maya va a Palenque 🎉🎉apertura tramo Cancún -Palenque 🚆🇲🇽 #TodosSomosTrenMaya #SúbeteAlTren #fyp ♬ Mexico! – Two Poins Black & Mariachi la michoacana

The Cost To Ride The Isthmus Train And Where To Get Tickets 

We don’t know what the cost will be for traveling on the Isthmus Train to Palenque yet.   

The route that is already operating is affordable though.   

Tickets for the entire route between Coatzacoalcos and Salina Cruz run around $27 for tourist-class tickets and about $35 for executive-class tickets.   

@tavoyaqui Coatzacoalcos Golden Hour 🔥 #coatza #coatzacoalcos #coatzacoalcosveracruzmexico #coatzacoalcosveracruz #coatzacoalcosver #goldenhour #coatzaviral ♬ In The End – Mellen Gi Remix – Tommee Profitt & Fleurie & Mellen Gi

Prices For The Maya Train To Get To The Isthmus Train 

Since the Maya Train and the Isthmus Train will connect in Palenque, we do not know what that trip will cost to make that connection because that section of the Maya Train is already operating.   

There are two different classes of tickets, Tourist Class and Premier Class.   

The prices for the tickets from Cancun to Palenque are about $123 and $197, respectively.   

@karloz_martinez29 😍Emotiva llegada del Tren Maya a Palenque, Chiapas, en su fase de prueba y previo a su inauguración el próximo domingo 31 de diciembre.🙏 #trenmaya #TrenMaya #amlo #4t #palenque #chiapas ♬ Así Fue – En Vivo Desde Bellas Artes, México/ 2013 – Juan Gabriel

Visiting Coatzacoalcos 

The city of Coatzacoalcos, located in the state of Veracruz, is a port city that sits on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.   

The coastal city has several attractions to enjoy.   

One of the most popular is the Walk of the Escolleras, a half-mile walk over the water that comes with amazing views.   

There’s also a lighthouse, an archeological museum, an ecological park, and so much more… 

@brigittgiselle La vista más bonita de Coatzacoalcos Veracruz 🌊🌞🏝️🏖️🌅🌴 amo aquí ❤️ #coatzacoalcos #veracruz #sol #playa ♬ eyes without a face – 🎸🪩

Expected Completion Of The Maya Train 

For now, only the first four sections of the Maya Train are operating, including the route to Palenque from Cancun.   

The remaining sections will cover the Caribbean coast portion of the Maya Train route, with stops at popular destinations like Playa del Carmen and Tulum.   

This section is scheduled to be operational by the end of February, but there are questions as to whether they will open on time, as construction is still in progress.   

@cataaaaaasg 📍Playa del Carmen 🌴 #fypシ #foryou #playadelcarmen #cancun #travel ♬ LALA bumbum Mashup – bumbum

When This Connection Will Be Available 

While the Maya Train route from Cancun to Palenque is already operating, you’ll have to wait until the rest of the Isthmus Train route is completed before being able to make the connection.   

There is no official date for when the rest of the Isthmus Train will begin operating, but the estimated timeframe is the middle of this year.   

Once it is, travelers visiting destinations in the Mexican Caribbean will be able to access this other fascinating region of Mexico. 

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