The first part of the much-anticipated Maya Train has been welcomed on the Yucatan Peninsula. This first part of the new tourist train is set to run between Campeche on the Gulf Coast and the popular tourist location of Cancun in Mexico. Eventually, the train will connect all the major resorts and archaeological sites in the region.

Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico welcomes the Maya Train

In December last year, it was reported that a new tourist train was being constructed to connect to the resorts and archaeological sites on the Yucatan Peninsula. Fast forward to now and the first section of the Maya Train is complete.

Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador spoke at the opening ceremonies on Friday about the start of what will eventually be a 950-mile train line, dubbed the Maya Train, or Tren Maya in Spanish.

At a cost of $20 billion, the project is expected to be complete by February 2024, according to an AP report. Once the rail line is complete, the Maya Train will run a rough loop around the peninsula.

First section of the tourist train complete

The first rail section inaugurated on Friday runs between the city of Campeche on the Gulf Coast and the popular tourist city of Cancun. Reportedly, this first stretch of rail line is approximately one-third of the entire project.

Meanwhile, the journey running between Campeche and Cancun takes around 5½ hours, while traveling at an average speed of 50 miles per hour. Moreover, two trains are set to run in each direction daily with several stops along the way. Among the most popular stops is the colonial city of Merida, as well as the popular Mayan ruins at Chechen Itza. Besides those, the train will stop at around 10 other towns along the rail line.

Maya Train tickets are on sale and are currently available in first class and tourist class. There was some talk of Mexicans enjoying lower fares on the line, but so far, those fares have not been announced. However, a first-class ticket between Cancun and Merida will cost around $68.

Other destinations to come on the Maya Train

Once complete, the new rail line will connect the city of Cancun with a number of the top tourist destinations on the Mayan Riviera. Moreover, these will include the hugely popular Playa del Carmen and Tulum, along with other ruins at Palenque and Calakmul.

Speaking at the inauguration, López Obrador boasted that there are no public works projects like this in the world, adding, “It was also done in record time.”

However, while the new train is good news for tourism and has a lower carbon footprint than flying, it has seen some controversy. Reportedly some sections of the rail line that are still to be built will cut through the jungle and will be built over sensitive cave systems filled with relics.

According to environmentalists, the project threatens many caves along the Yucatan coastline in which some of the earliest human remains have been found.