Chilean-Chinese consortium proposes US$1.6 billion Santiago-Valparaíso high speed rail concession

Subscribe to our newsletter and get the latest news and business opportunities in your inbox
Chilean-Chinese consortium proposes US$1.6 billion Santiago-Valparaíso high speed rail concession

Tren Valparaíso Santiago (TVS), a consortium comprised of Sigdo Koppers and China Railway Group Limited, has presented a formal proposal to develop a high-speed rail (HSR) line linking the Chilean capital Santiago with the port city of Valparaíso through the government's concession system.

Spanning approximately 120km, the HSR would reduce travel time between the two cities to 45 minutes, a 50% reduction on both driving and public transport journey times. The total estimated investment of the project is between US$1.6 and 2.5 billion, which is proposed to be financed entirely by the private sector.

Initially, TVS plans to deliver 12 trains, each with capacity to transport 890 passengers, which will travel at a maximum speed of 200km/h.

The Ministry of Public Works (MOP) must now decide if the project is in the public interest. Following the concession procedure, TVS will then carry out feasibility studies, which will be evaluated by the MOP to determine if the proposal can be structured as a concession. If TVS passes these stages, the MOP will launch a tender for the project within a year.

The HSR is intended primarily to serve port cargo, with TVS considering adding a connection to San Antonio port.

TVS originally submitted a proposal in early 2018 to develop the project through the Railway Law, rather than as a concession. The Ministry of Transport decided that it could not approve the proposal in this model earlier this month.

Despite the numerous hurdles remaining before the project can be tendered, prospective bidders are already lining up. Italian firms Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane and Salini-Impregilo have publicly confirmed their interest in the project.

List of country news

Country news

  • January 08, 2019

    Chile to open prequalification for US$2.4 billion programme of hospital concessions this month

    The government of Chile, through the Ministry of Public Works, is inviting companies to register to participate in tenders for a number of hospital concessions located throughout the country that constitute the Second Programme of Concessions of Health Facilities.

    Read more
  • September 14, 2018

    Ultramar agrees sale of Neltume Ports stake to ATCO

    ATCO has announced that it is entered into an agreement to acquire 40% of Neltume Ports, a leading port operator and developer in South America, for approximately CAD450 million (US$345.8 million). Neltume Ports, a subsidiary of Ultramar, operates in 16 port facilities and three stevedoring businesses primarily located in Chile and Uruguay. 

    Read more
  • September 27, 2018

    Government of Chile to tender US$2.5 billion hospital concessions

    The Ministries of Health and Public Works of the government of Chile have published a schedule for the tender of eighteen hospital concessions with a total investment of over US$2.5 billion.

    Read more
  • April 25, 2018

    Chile awards US$250 million road concession to Atlantia and CPPIB

    Grupo Costanera has been awarded the Conexión Vial Ruta 78 Hasta Ruta 68 project, which is expected to cost around EUR200 million (US$244.76 million). The project involves the construction and operation of a new 9.2km motorway in Santiago, the capital city of Chile.

    Read more
  • April 13, 2018

    Chile launches tender for US$100 million road concession

    The Government of Chile, through the Ministry of Public Works, has invited to participate in the tender for the execution, repair, conservation and exploitation of the Road Concession Improvement Route G-21, through the concession system.

    Read more

Share this news

Join us

In order to get full access to News section, you must have a full subscription. You can check all the benefits of becoming a member and purchase a subscription on our membership page.