Interurbano Line (Costa Rica)

The Interurbano Line, also known as Tren Interurbano in Spanish, is a special train that helps people travel between cities in Costa Rica. It is run by Incofer, the country’s main railway company Incofer.

This train connects four important provinces: Alajuela, Heredia, San José, and Cartago. It makes it easier for people to move around quickly and safely without needing a car.

The Interurbano Line is very useful because it links many towns and cities close together, helping people get to work, school, or visit friends and family. It is an important part of keeping the country moving.

History

Main article: Rail transport in Costa Rica

Costa Rica once had two main train lines for moving people and goods. These lines connected San José to Puntarenas and Alajuela through Heredia and San José to Limón. The two lines met close by in San José.

For a short time between 1993 and 1995, there was a passenger service, but it wasn’t enough to keep the railway company running. By 1995, the company had to close.

The company then created a new commuter train line, called the Interurbano, using the old tracks. It started with a small line between Pavas and Montes de Oca in 2005.

In 2008, work began to extend the line to Heredia. The first part of the new service started in 2009 between the Atlántico station and Heredia station. New trains from Spain called the Apolo 2400 units arrived the same year.

Future

There are plans to rebuild the whole passenger line with electric trains. This would include parts built above the roads to help traffic flow better. The new system would have forty-six stations, with service every three to five minutes. This is part of a project called the Sistema de Transporte Rápido de Personas (Fast Passenger Transportation System).

Stage Zero of electrification

New plans are in place to make the lines more modern, starting with a “Stage Zero.” This means using new, more efficient diesel trains first. Eight of these new trains were ordered from a Chinese company, CRRC Qingdao Sifang. They will have more space and seats along the walls, which is new for the country.

With these new trains, the service can be extended to Paraíso, Cartago, and San Rafael, Alajuela.

The goal is to start building a fully electric railway line around the year 2025. Bidding for this project began in 2022.

Line data

The Interurbano Line runs at street level, which makes it hard to go fast because of busy streets. On average, the train moves at about 20 km/h (12 mph).

When the line reopened, the train crossings did not have barriers, bells, or other safety tools. This led to many accidents between the train and cars, as well as with people walking. In 2018, safety measures were added at 45 crossings, with plans to reach 136. However, problems like damage to these safety tools and more accidents still happen. Trains running on city streets are common, with tracks and some stations placed right in the middle of narrow roads.

Services

The Interurbano Line has three different services. All of them use the same trains and may share parts of their routes. None of these services have express stops; every stop is served by the trains.

One service runs to Cartago, finishing in the Los Ángeles neighborhood. By May 2023, it was extended to Oreamuno, with plans to go further toward Paraíso. Some stops on this route are only used during busy times of day. Work is happening to extend this service even more, including building new bridges and recovering old tracks.

Another service covers the area from Belén-Pavas to Curridabat, using tracks that go to both the Pacific and Atlantic. Some stops here are also only served during busy times. Efforts are under way to extend this service to include more stops.

The third service goes from Alajuela through Río Segundo and Heredia to San José. Some of its stops are only used during busy times as well.

Rolling stock

The Interurbano Line uses diesel locomotives and special train units to move people. Some of these trains come from Spain, and others are made by a company named GE. A few of the passenger cars were built right in Costa Rica by a local company.