Update on how the Train Maya project is progressing

Playa del Carmen train station

If you have been in the Riviera Maya area for a while or are still online, you will know how to take on infrastructure projects with a salt gain. I mean, you can believe it when it’s built. Plans come and go, and many are never completed. So when the Train Maya project was first announced, and then stopped and then delayed, you may still be critical in thinking that it might not happen. But, the Mayan Train is under construction and is moving forward. It’s impacting travel now and we wanted to let you know how things are going.

This is the current construction of the Mayan Train that takes place between Quintana Roo and the state of Yucatán. This is one side of the road that is being rebuilt to accommodate 4 lanes of traffic.

What is the Mayan Train Project?

The Mayan Train (what’s it called in spanish) is a 1500 km tourist train that would connect the popular beaches of the Riviera Maya with towns, archaeological sites and many tourist destinations in the Yucatan Peninsula and beyond. The train will create a circular route through the states of Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Campeche, Tabasco and Chiapas. There will be 15 or 16 stations along the route. The project was proposed to bring jobs, development, infrastructure, and attract tourism to the Yucatan Peninsula and nearby states. The Mayan Train will cost around 6 million dollars and it is estimated that it will take 4 years to build. Although sections of the route can be opened once it is finished. For more information on Train Maya, check out our article here.

How the Train Maya project is affecting transportation now

Since the train will more or less follow the existing roads, there are some disruptions in transportation time. Below are some of the routes that are affected now.

Traveling between Cancun and Playa del Carmen

Parts of Highway 307 between Playa del Carmen and Cancun are being built. This has led to poor traffic backups, as this is the only highway that runs through the entire state. Since there can be delays, here’s a great tip. If you are going to Cancun or Cancun airport, check Google maps to see the time between destinations. It is close to the live results on time. You can see if there are any delays and if you need to plan to leave early for the airport. Of course, if you book a reputable private transfer, they will control traffic and try to mitigate any delays with an earlier departure to the airport.

Traveling between the Rivera Maya and Valladolid or Chichén Itzá

If you are driving between Cancun or Playa del Carmen going on the 180 toll road towards Valladolid, you may encounter some small delays. The divided highway that runs through much of the peninsula is practically being rebuilt from scratch. The road is moving to one side, making it a four-land road with a concrete divider. The south side of the highway will become the train side. For more details on how to drive between Playa del Carmen and Chichén Itzá, check out our article here.

Currently, parts of toll road 180 narrow to one lane in each direction between parts of the highway between Cancun and Valladolid.

Sections of the highway are being converted as we speak. This creates multiple sections where the road is one lane in each direction. This can slow down traffic from the speed limit of 110 km / h to 80 km / h. You can expect the trip between Cancun or Playa to Valladolid to take another 10-15 minutes. It’s not really that bad because it breaks up a really boring stretch of road with a view to construction.

These are the proposed plans and below is the update on this now.

It is a section of the new complete highway between Playa del Carmen and Valladolid. A four lane road is on one side and the train on the other side of the trees.

How the Mayan Train is Affecting Real Estate and Development Now

Usually with any large infrastructure project, it has an impact on the real estate market. Places that are more easily connected increase in value and the change in the tourism business creates new winners and more losers. So how is the Mayan Train affecting things now? Here are some examples.

In the mayan riviera

In general, everyone between Cancun and Tulum has been waiting for the train and no new areas are really opening. Final decisions on where exactly the stations will be have yet to be announced. We believe this will have minimal impact in places like Cancun and Playa del Carmen. In smaller towns like Puerto Morelos, property with proximity to the train station will become more valuable. Smaller cities have more commuters going to larger cities.

Properties that are close to transportation hubs will be better geared towards apartments for locals. Having access to work in other parts of the Riviera Maya with a fast and affordable train will make these areas more attractive. In Playa del Carmen the train will go through Highway 307. The immediate area of ​​the train station is proposed as shop windows. How well this area is planned will make the difference between just a stand with waiting taxis and trucks or a new neighborhood center that will disregard some local development. The area west of Highway 307 in Playa is already more industrial and has power lines running across it, so we don’t imagine this area will benefit much from new development.

Developments in Bacalar

Bacalar is the biggest winner when it comes to the Mayan Train. Bacalar has been a small town that was a place of escape for the wealthy people of Chetumal and the few tourists that passed by. It has been growing in popularity among many Quintana Roo residents and gracing a new high-end tourism that wants a quiet place with a bit of luxury.

Part of the reason Bacalar hasn’t grown that much is its proximity to transportation. There is an international airport in Chetumal, but this airport is only important for a domestic connection and there are no real international flights connecting it with the populations that would visit it. Bacalar is about a 4-hour drive from the Cancun airport. Distance is the biggest obstacle that really puts a brake on it. With a fast train connection, the boring journey will end and people will be able to arrive refreshed.

The fact that the Mayan train passes through the area means that it can bring tourism from both the popular Riviera Maya area and national tourism from Campeche, Tabasco and Chiapas. There are also plans to open a large Mayan archaeological site near Bacalar that will draw more attention to the area.

Bacalar has some pretty cool developments going on right now. Bacalar is a kind of nearby Tulum with a focus on nature and eco-chic design. If you have thought about investing in this area, a good person to contact is Sebastián. He is a real estate agent who is aware of new projects in the area. Below is your email. It is good to include your phone number and the best time to contact you in your email for the best response time.

In Valladolid Yucatan

The last five years have been very good for Valladolid in terms of tourism. Valladolid is in the literal crossroads of the highways in the center of the Yucatan Peninsula. All tours that depart from the Riviera Maya to Chichén Itzá pass through Valladolid or the area. This has only created a bustling downtown when all the buses pass. There has also been a boom in new hotels and restaurants. Most of this is due to the growth and forward-thinking people who have invested in the area.

In addition to the next Mayan Train that will pass through Valladolid, Xcaret has built a new park in this area that will open soon. When Xcaret bought land years ago for the project, property prices skyrocketed in the city center. Most of the owners were speculative and raised prices to almost absurd levels, mostly out of the reach of the average buyer.

Since prices have been high for some years in Valladolid, there is only some room to grow here and some opportunity. For most people looking to buy and renovate a home or build, they must look further out of the center than ever before and be prepared to wait for the neighborhood to develop around them in the future. Valladolid has been on more expat lists of places to visit and live on the peninsula.

For larger investors, there is still the opportunity to buy near the train station area, the 180 freeway towards Piste and the Valladolid ring road. These areas get a lot of traffic and can be good business locations.

Izamal Yucatan

The town of Izamal has been a sleeping town waiting to have its moment in the sun. It is charming, it has a lot of colonial charm, it is a Magical Town and it has interesting Mayan vestiges in the city. Izamal is ready to make the most of the Mayan Train. Izamal is far enough away from the Riviera Maya that it is best to visit it with an overnight stay.

Izamal is a small town. Much of the center is bought and not sold. But, only in the center, there are many properties that are good value for money and can be bought for future investments. This can be a good place to buy a home or future business.

Current construction in addition to Highway 180 between Cancun and Valladolid.

Thank you for reading our article on the new Train Maya project and how this could affect development in the area. We love to keep you posted on local issues and look forward to bringing you more articles soon.