El Jalapeño: Aside from derailments, budget overruns, low ridership and environmental issues, Maya Train a massive success, officials say

San Francisco de Campeche, Campeche — State rail officials announced Tuesday that the Maya Train project has achieved all primary milestones, aside from ongoing track incidents, budget shortfalls, low passenger numbers, and environmental impacts along the Yucatán Peninsula. Following Monday’s partial derailment near San Francisco de Campeche, which was classified as a "50-meter lateral track-adjustment phenomenon," officials praised the project for surpassing performance metrics in categories other than smooth, continuous train movement.

Director of Strategic Messaging Arturo Velázquez explained that the project's lower-than-expected ridership should be considered "exclusive seating," a term used to describe passengers experiencing rail transportation without the usual crowd. He highlighted the project's successful safety protocols, which ensured smooth operation even when the final carriage of a Cancún–Palenque train transferred 123 passengers to highway buses for the final leg of their journey, showcasing the project's multimodal transit concept.

Velázquez argued that by maintaining low ridership, every passenger is granted ample personal space, making the Maya Train the epitome of peaceful, low-density travel.