Heredia-San José Train Ready to Roll

The eagerly awaited opening of a railway between San José and its northern neighbor, Heredia, is on track.

Service for the Heredia-San José train is scheduled to begin Monday August 10 at 5:30 a.m.

The announcement came Wednesday after Costa Rica’s

lifted an injunction Monday, July 27, that had blocked the operation of the new transportation system.

Comercial El Diez S.A, a private company, filed suit against the Costa Rican Railroad Institute (INCOFER) in early May, claiming that the cleaning and repair work of the rails, performed by INCOFER, affected the stability of the nearby property and endangered

the lives of those who travel along the site. INCOFER and Comercial El Diez agreed to begin the court-facilitated conciliation process, an agreement which lifted the gates for the train’s service.

One ticket on the new rail system will cost 350 colones ($0.60) and the trip will last approximately 30 minutes from its Heredia home station to downtown San José.

The train will have five stops on its journey – Estación de Heredia centro, Miraflores, Santo Domingo, Cuatro Reinas de Tibas and the Estación Atlántico. INCOFER officials confirmed that the institute is considering the possibility of adding two more stops, which would be in Cinco Esquinas de Tibás and Calle Blancos de Goicoechea.

The train will operate from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The four trains – two cars each – have individual carrying capacities of 250 passengers, or 125 people in each car.

–Mike McDonald