Tren Maya passes 3 million passengers since its December 2023 launch, SECTUR says

The Tren Maya, the passenger railway that loops through Mexico's southeast, has carried 3 million passengers since it began operating, the federal tourism ministry (SECTUR) said on October 30. SECTUR said the figure reflects the service's growth and its place in the region's tourism offer. Tourism secretary Josefina Rodríguez Zamora called the milestone a sign of progress toward tourism that is "más conectado e incluyente" (more connected and inclusive).

The line links Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo. SECTUR says it now promotes the train at trade fairs and sales caravans abroad, mainly in the United States and Canada. The release does not say on what date the 3 million mark was passed, or how riders split between routes.

From 700,000 riders in year one to 3 million

Passenger service began on December 16, 2023, between Campeche and Cancún. The operator completed its 1,554-kilometer circuit when it opened sections 6 and 7 in December 2024. Its own releases chart the climb since then:

That puts growth since November 2025 at about 1.19 million passengers in 11 months, by our calculation, against about 1.81 million in the first 23 months. The operator had already reported rising daily demand: an average of 1,905 passengers a day in 2024 and 3,320 in 2025, as of July of that year, and a one-day record of 7,875 passengers on November 17, 2025. At the time, it ran 20 commercial services a day, and it named Mérida-Teya to Cancún Aeropuerto as one of the busiest routes.

Before you ride: tickets, bags and refunds

The operator's frequently asked questions set out the rules that matter most to visitors:

• Tickets: on the official booking site, reservas.ventaboletostrenmaya.com.mx, in the Tren Maya app for iOS and Android, by WhatsApp (+52 55 7200 0052) or phone (+52 55 9771 1000), at ticket offices and at ticket machines. Round trips can be bought in one purchase.
• A ticket covers only the journey you bought. If you get off at another station, the ticket counts as used, and you need a new one to continue.
• Luggage: up to three pieces with a combined weight of up to 50 kilograms travel free, within size limits for general luggage, a cabin bag (55 by 40 by 25 centimeters, up to 10 kilograms) and a personal item such as a handbag or backpack. For general luggage, the FAQ gives 75 by 40 by 33 centimeters and the operator's passenger contract 66 by 42 by 26 centimeters.
• Changes: one change of date or time per ticket, requested by email at least 48 hours ahead, on the same route and in the same name.
• Refunds: only for causes attributable to the service, meaning a cancellation by Tren Maya, a delay of more than 4 hours for operational reasons, or a failure that prevents the trip.
• Children under 3 ride free in the arms of a parent or legal guardian, one child per adult.

The operator's releases also describe two incidents this summer. On July 1, 2026, a Mérida-Cancún Aeropuerto train stopped near Leona Vicario after a generator fault; relief trains took passengers on, and the operator says they received refunds and compensation. On August 31, a Cancún-Palenque train had a track incident on its last car just after leaving San Francisco de Campeche. None of the 123 passengers was hurt, and they went on by road to Edzná station to board another train.

What the travel advice says

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), whose Mexico advice was last updated on October 20, 2026, and was still current on October 30, does not list Yucatán, Campeche, Quintana Roo or Tabasco among the areas where it advises against all but essential travel. In Chiapas, the FCDO "advises against all but essential travel to within 40km of the Guatemalan border between the Pacific Coast up to and including the border crossing at Gracias a Dio" and "on Federal Highway 199 (Carretera Federal 199) between Rancho Nuevo (just outside San Cristobal de las Casas) and the Chancalá junction just outside Palenque (where Federal Highway 199 meets Federal Highway 307)."

Its regional section says: "There has been an increase in security incidents in the states of Tabasco and Veracruz, including the city of Veracruz. Illegal roadblocks are reported frequently. Be extremely cautious." For Quintana Roo, it says: "You must pay an entry tax to visit the state of Quintana Roo – you can pay the entry tax online before or during your stay," and "You must show proof of payment at the airport before leaving." It also warns: "Be very cautious after dark in downtown areas of Cancun, Tulum and Playa del Carmen."