No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsLatin AmericaHow Panama’s New Railway to Paso Canoas Will Transform Costa Rica

How Panama’s New Railway to Paso Canoas Will Transform Costa Rica

Panama’s government announced fresh details last Friday about its Panama-David-Frontera fast train, a transformative project that will connect Panama City to Paso Canoas on the Costa Rican border. This railway promises to reshape travel, trade, and tourism for Costa Rica’s southern region and beyond.

Spanning 475 kilometers with 14 stations—Albrook, Ciudad de la Salud, Panama Pacifico, La Chorrera, Chame/Coronado, Río Hato, Penonomé, Divisa, Santiago, Soná, San Félix, David, Bugaba, and Paso Canoas-Frontera—the train will carry passengers at speeds up to 180 km/h and freight at 100 km/h. The three-hour trip from Panama City to Paso Canoas will cut the current 12-hour drive from San José to Panama City dramatically.

National Railway Secretary Henry Faarup said stations are designed to link with buses, airports, and ports, streamlining logistics. “This will change how people and goods move, connecting Panama to Costa Rica and eventually Central America,” he said. Talks with Costa Rica are advancing to integrate trade, especially for exports via Panama’s ports.

For Costa Rica, the train could spark economic growth in Golfito, Ciudad Neily, and Puntarenas province by boosting tourism and commerce. The $4.1-$5 billion project, with funding still being finalized, will start construction in January 2026 on the 210-kilometer Panama Pacifico-Divisa stretch.

U.S. firm AECOM is wrapping up technical studies by September 2025. President José Raúl Mulino called it his flagship project, aiming to make Panama a land transport hub. Environmental and community impacts are still under review, but Panama is prioritizing sustainable practices.

The railway could face challenges like complex terrain and land acquisition, but its potential to decentralize Panama’s economy and foster regional growth is clear.

Trending Now

Uncertainty Dominates Costa Rican Voters Ahead of 2026 Elections

A new poll from the University of Costa Rica's Center for Political Research and Studies (CIEP-UCR) paints a picture of widespread indecision among Costa...

Costa Rica Presidential Candidate Eli Feinzaig Recovering

Presidential candidate and Congressman Eli Feinzaig of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) underwent surgery Saturday night to repair a fractured sternum sustained in a...

Panama’s Indigenous Families Relocate Amid Rising Sea Levels

Panama's government faces mounting pressure to relocate more Indigenous Guna families from low-lying Caribbean islands as sea levels continue to rise, building on the...

US sanctions Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro

The United States announced on Friday financial sanctions against Colombian President Gustavo Petro for failing to combat drug trafficking, drawing a strong response from...

Costa Rica Expat Guide to Creative DIY Home Repairs

My family was recently cleaning up our backyard, tidying up the mass of branches that had been ditched on the property by the local...

U.S. Strikes Drug Boat in Pacific Near Colombia, Killing Two

The United States military carried out its first strike in the Pacific Ocean against a boat suspected of drug trafficking, killing two people near...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica