Q COSTA RICA – State entities from Spain, China, Switzerland and Italy are said to be interested in investing in an electric passenger train in Costa Rica.
The electric train would operate the routes currently covered by Costa Rica;s railway, the Instituto Costarricense de Ferrocarriles (Incofer).
The information was confirmed by Christian Vargas, the Incofer’s chief executive.
The official said he could not provide details of the interest or the type of alliance, waiting on the results of a pre-feasibility study.
According to Vargas, once the data from the study is released, possibly at the end of this month, the interested can then analyze and communicate their interest in the project.
The electric train service that the Incofer dreams of would cover 80 kilometres of track, would have lines in two directions, overpasses and new stations. The work is estimated at US$1.6 billion dollars.
According to the Incofer, in 2016 it moved some 4 million people on its routes between San Jose (the central point) to and from Cartago, Heredia Centre, Alajuela, and Belen (Heredia).
In April last year, legislators approved a law strengthening the railway, a law that allows the institution to borrow up to 40% of its assets currently valued at more than US$1 billion.
According Vargas, the only way Incofer can get the electric train moving is a private/public alliance, or a partnership with a public entity from another country.
Source La nacion
