In January 2nd, 1988 the State Railway Administration (AFE) withdrew all train passenger services in Uruguay. 
 
In 1993 local passenger services were reinstated on two sections of the Montevideo - Rivera main line: Tacuarembó - Rivera and Montevideo - 25 de Agosto. The  first service has been withdrawn since then four times, due to the inability of the state railway enterprise to reduce operating costs and increase passenger numbers, added to  a wrong cost assignement that went against their economically balanced operation. 
 
Freight trains operate on all lines of the network with the exception of branches from Salto to Artigas and Cuareim, Nico Pérez - Melo, Mal Abrigo - Colonia, Rocha - La Paloma, Florida - KM 329 and Durazno - Trinidad. Several sections of track currently in service are in good condition, and part of it has been rehabilitated in recent years, with exception of the Algorta - Fray Bentos and San Carlos - Rocha lines that are in poor condition. The sections with older rails (1889-1892) will be renewed soon with 50 kg/m rails recived from Russia between 1998 and 1999. All lines have 1435mm gauge.
 
The longest through lines reach an extension of about 500 to 600 km one way; the  total length of the network is more than 2900 km and reaches nearly all the important cities and most of the rural communities of the country whose population is around  3,5 millon. 
 
The system of primary roads connects all major cities; however, the secondary routes vary from tarred roads to paths, most of them in poor condition and are not transitable during rainy weather.