LEADERS in Argentina’s western provinces of Mendoza, San Juan and San Luis are discussing plans for a $US 4bn project to restore and expand rail connectivity in the Cuyo region, including a new freight link with Chile.
According to local news outlet Diario San Rafael, at a meeting of the Cuyo regional summit last month, senator Germán Vicchi of Mendoza said: “We will focus study, work and discussions on the subject of railway lines, including a connection to the Pacific via the Planchón-Vergara pass.”
The project involves restoring routes of the former San Martín and Sarmiento railways to link southern Mendoza with San Juan and then continue across the Andes to reach Chile’s Maule region, providing a direct freight route to the port of San Antonio.
A branch to via General Alvear to Vaca Muerta in Neuquén, an area rich in natural gas and minerals, is also planned.
Financing would rely heavily on Argentina’s Major Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI) and other public-private mechanisms. The four-phase project has attracted strong interest from mining companies and cereal exporters.
