Friends of Latin American Railways

News Venezuela

23.06.2019

Guacara – San Diego – San Joaquín

Test runs are taking place since March 2019 on the 11 km long section Guacara – San Diego of the future rail corridor „Ezequiel Zamora II“ (Puerto Cabello – Cagua). There are two diesel multiple units which have been brought to Guacara from Barquisimeto by road and the journey takes 25 km over the 11 km long line which may be opened to the public during 2019. Shortly afterwards the section from San Diego to San Joaquín may also open to traffic.
(Source: Volta o Trem 23-3)

Chivacoa – San Felipe

It is planned to reopen the section Chivacoa – San Felipe of the line towards Puerto Cabello for passenger traffic during 2019. This line is under refurbishment for several years now.
(Source: Volta o Trem 23-3)

16.02.2019

Chivacoa - Puerto Cabello

Passenger trains between Chivacoa and Puerto Cabello may start during 2019, despite political unrest rehabilitation works are going on.
(Source: Volta o Trem 23-1)

07.08.2018

Barquisimeto – Chivacoa

State Railway IFE has brought the whole 62 km line between Barquisimeto and Chivacoa in service. Two daily round-trips are offered Barquisimeto – Chivacoa, with additional services on weekdays between Barquisimeto and Yaritagua (34 km).
(Source: Volta o Trem 22-7)

05.04.2018

Puerto Cabello - Yaritagua

Since the end of March 2018 there have been regular test runs with freight trains between Puerto Cabello and Yaritagua, since the track has now been largely rehabilitated over this section.
(Source: Volta o Trem 22-4)

11.02.2018

Yaritagua – San Jacinto / Yaritagua – Chivacoa

The two daily passenger trains between Yaritagua and San Jacinto transported over 125'000 passengers during the first 6 months of operation. State Railways IFE will start passenger operations between Chivacoa and Yaritagua (29 km) until April or May 2018.
(Source: Volta o Trem 22-2)

03.10.2017

Caracas – Cúa

Integral rehabilitation work on the suburban railway Caracas – Cúa is under way since mid-September 2017. During night hours, sleepers and ballast are being replaced, and the track is tamped and lined.
(Source: IFE)

28.07.2017

Lack of Replacement Parts for chinese Locomotives

Due to the lack of replacement parts for the Chinese locomotives state Railways IFE started to rehabilitate an old GP9 locomotive at Barquisimeto to maintain freight services running.
(Source: Volta o Trem 21-5)

07.07.2017

Bridge over La Ruezga

In order to resume traffic between the suburb of San Jacinto and the main station of Barquisimeto, the state railway IFE has started construction of a new concrete bridge across the river La Ruezga. The old steel bridge was removed in February 2017, and the western abutment was built during the same month, followed by the eastern abutment on 17 April 2017, thereby using a mass of 505 cubic metres of concrete. The bridge deck will be put in place in the coming months, while re-opening for traffic all the way to Barquisimeto is expected until the end of 2017.
(Source: IFE)

San Jacinto - Yaritagua

On 20 May 2017, passenger traffic between San Jacinto an Yaritagua finally started. Contrary to the orignal plans, two daily round-trips are operated. Until further notice, passengers are not required to buy a ticket.
(Source: IFE)

03.07.2017

San Jacinto - Yaritagua

May 20, 2017 passenger services between San Jacinto (suburub of Barquisimeto) and Yaritagua (28 km) started finally with two train pairs daily, operated by state railway IFE. From Yaritagua at 06.00 and 17.00, from San Jacinto at 06.52 and 17.52, journey 30 minutes.
(Source: Volta o Trem 21-4)

31.12.2016

Barquisimeto - Yaritagua

Construction of a further bridge between Barquisimeto and Yaritagua puts off reopening of the entire line to traffic for at least one more year. Some sections of the line have, however, been made available for the haulage of grains; thereby using Chinese locomotives and wagons.
(Source: IFE)

Caracas – Tuy Medio

During the Christmas holiday period, state railway IFE carried out extensive repair work on the Caracas – Tuy Medio suburban railway. All tracks were integrally cleaned and repaired and, with the help of Charallave municipality, the stations were deep cleaned and got a spruce-up (new lightning, green areas).
(Source: IFE)

Cúa – Puerto Cabellos

Construction work on the new line Cúa – Puerto Cabellos has been resumed after a long interruption. At the end of 2016, track was being laid between Cagua and Mariara in the Maracay area, and over 70'000 cubic metres of ballast were also brought out. At the same time, work on the Cagua and Mariara stations continued. Both of them were fitted with toilet facilities, and operational spaces were completed.
(Source: IFE)

Yaritagua – Acarígua

In December 2016, all sets of points were changed on the Yaritagua – Acarígua line, which means that the core work required to reopening this branch line to traffic is complete.
(Source: IFE)

20.12.2016

Puerto Cabello - La Encrucijada

After payment of a large quantity of debts (over 1,4bi of US$) from the years 2003 to 2013 caused by construction of the new 128,8 km long railway between Puerto Cabello and La Encrucijada, construction work could be reiniciated mid 2016. The line is more than 50% complete, but an opening date was not mentioned.
(Source: Volta o Trem 20-7)

31.12.2015

New Station Ayacucho

The new Ayacucho station on the metro line to Los Teques was opened on 07 October 2015. This was the first new opening since the economic crisis of the country started.
(Source: Metro de Caracas)

Yaritagua – Acarigua

The state railway company IFE has concluded the rehabilitation of the 67 km-long line from Yaritagua to Acarigua on 01 December 2015 and announced that passenger traffic is due to start “shortly”. For this purpose, two of the chinese-built trains which were stored for years at Barquisimeto have also been refurbished. Work on this line started in 2011.
Resumption of passenger traffic on the main route Puerto Cabello – Barquisimeto has, once more, been announced for 2016.
(Source: IFE, CRBZ)

20.10.2013

Caracas – Cúa

To increase the number of train services between Caracas and Cúa 13 new EMU’s will be delivered from Japan during 2014.
(Source: Volta o Trem 17-6)

25.08.2013

Barquisimeto – Yaritagua

Opening of the Barquisimeto – Yaritagua section may be delayed by another 12 to 18 months. The La Ruega bridge should be replaced and at Yaritagua new station tracks should be laid during this time. Ende 2013 a track machine may be transferred from Caracas to Yaritagua to speed up rehabilitation works.
(Source: Volta o Trem 17-4)

16.06.2013

Yaritagua

Construction of new railway line is due to continue under the new state president Maduro. The state railway IFE reported that the Yaritagua station has now been completed and is ready for operations. It is expected that the first trains from Barquisimeto to Yaritagua will run at some point in 2014 as infrastructure work is now complete. A staff training programme started at the end of May 2013 to prepare train crews for operating the new chinese diesel railcars. Some trains will reach Yaritagua and the local population has been warned against trespassing on the railway tracks.
(Source: IFE)

10.03.2013

Mourning Period

During the mourning period about the late president Chavez passengers can use the suburban trains between Caracas and Cúa for free.
(Source: Volta o Trem 17-2)

17.01.2013

Passenger traffic

The start of passenger service from Barquisimeto to Yaritagua, originally announced for December 2012, has been postponed until further notice. Some of the road overbridges along the line are still under construction and were not completed on time.
(Source: Fahrplancenter)

12.10.2012

New railway line

First test runs took place on a section of the line Puerto Cabello - Encruzijada which is under construction.
(Source: Volta o Trem 16-6)

Existing Railway

IFE announced that passenger train services between Barquisimeto and Yaritagua may now definitively start end-december 2012.
(Source: Volta o Trem 16-6)