Tapatío (train)

The Tapatío (named for the Spanish word tapatío, meaning a person from Jalisco) was a passenger service between Mexico City and Guadalajara. It was operated by the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México (N de M), providing an express service between its two destinations.

El Tapatío

Overview
Locale	Mexico
First service	1888
Last service	1998
Successor	Proposed revival (2029)
Former operator(s)	Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México
Route
Termini	Buenavista station, Mexico City Guadalajara station, Guadalajara
Technical
Track gauge	Standard gauge
Route map Mexico City (Buenavista) Lechería Cuautitlán Teoloyucan Huehuetoca San Sebastián Nochistongo Apaxco El Salto Vito Dorantes Calera Jasso Bojay Tolteca Teocalco Tula Carrasco San Antonio Sayula Héroes Carranza Rancho Nuevo Prieto Santiago Oxthoc Leña Maravillas Aragón Nopala Huichapan Dañu Rayón Polotitlán Bernal Cazadero San Nicolás Palmillas La Llave] San Juan del Río Noria Chintepec Ahorcado La Griega Hércules Querétaro Las Adjuntas Mariscala Coachití El Tunal Apaseo Celaya Crespo Cortazar Villagrán Molino Sarabia Salamanca Irapuato Covarrubias Rivera Joaquín Abasolo Corralejo Pénjamo Villaseñor Palo Verde La Maraña Cortés La Piedad La Mula Patti Mirandillas Monteleón Yurécuaro Villanueva Negrete Salamea La Barca Feliciano Limón Santa Inesita El Pedregal Ocotlán Camcel El Grande Poncitlán Constancia San Jacinto Corona Atequiza La Capilla El Castillo Ladrillera La Junta Guadalajara

History

Under the N de M, the train in its normal service had more than 90 stations throughout its route, including its main stations at Mexico City's Buenavista station, Irapuato, and Guadalajara.

The branch of Line A of the national railway network, which was oepned in 1888, reached Guadalajara for its importance as a means of passenger transportation. Eventually, this branch, known as the Irapuato-Guadalajara line, gave rise to the new Line T in 1943, which connected Guadalajara to Nogales. In 1957, the Irapuato-Guadalajara line also led to the expansion of Line I to the Pacific coast in the state of Colima, to help the transport of maritime cargo from Manzanillo to Mexico City, via Guadalajara.

By 1960, the Tapatío was one of the last four fully Pullman trains in North America. Soon afterwards, he old, heavy Pullman bed cars, painted in light turquoise with a red stripe, were replaced by newer cars that the N de M purchased second-hand from railroad companies in the United States.

From its opening in 1888 until its closure in 1998, the Tapatío supplemented the service of the long-distance train known as the Regiomontano, whose route was twice that of the Tapatío although its speed was also higher; both had stops in stations of the important cities. Like the local Regiomontano, the Tapatío was aimed at middle- and upper-class users, who traveled in Pullman sleeping cars.

Proposed revival

Mexico City-Queretaro-Guadalajara train
Buenavista, Mexico City Mexico City State of Mexico Lechería State of Mexico Hidalgo Tula de Allende Hidalgo Querétaro San Juan del Río Querétaro Querétaro Guanajuato Celaya Guanajuato Michoacán La Piedad Michoacán Jalisco Salamanca, Guanajuato Irapuato Yurécuaro Ocotlán Poncitlán Guadalajara

On 20 November 2023, the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador issued a decree to reactivate seven passenger train lines, including the Mexico City-Guadalajara route.

In July 2024, president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum announced plans to restore the Mexico City-Guadalajara passenger train. The work on restoring this service will begin on 1 October 2024, and the new service will open on 17 May 2029.

The estimated time of the new Mexico City-Querétaro-Guadalajara Train route would be approximately three hours with 34 minutes, considering a maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour in the 581 kilometers. The intention is also to connect the Guadalajara train with Nogales across the Pacific coast.

See also

• Tren México-Querétaro-Guadalajara, for further reading on the proposed revival of the Tapatío
• Rail transport in Mexico
• Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México