Melitrén

Tren del Maipo
Tren del Maipo
	Reserved platforms for the line in Estación Central
Overview
Locale	Santiago, Melipilla
Termini	Estación Alameda; Estación Melipilla
Stations	12
Service
Type	Commuter rail
Operator(s)	EFE
Ridership	60 million a year (estimated)
History
Opened	2025
Technical
Line length	61 km (37.90 mi)
Operating speed	120 km/h (75 mph)
Route map

Melitrén, also known as Tren del Maipo^[2] is a planned 61 km commuter railway line in the Chilean capital of Santiago, designed to link it with neighbouring town Melipilla, to be operated by Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado.

Background[]

EFE had been planning a suburban service between Santiago and Melipilla since the mid-1990s. The project got to the tendering stage, but there were no bidders due to an underestimated budget requirement and disagreements between EFE and Santiago Metro over the location of the city centre terminal. However the first stage as far as Malloco formed part of the company's 2014-16 development plan. Yet, works were not initiated, one problem being an inability to obtain environmental approval. In May 2019, environmental approval was granted for the project to introduce a commuter rail service running 25km from Santiago to Malloco on the line to Melipilla. Construction of this first stage is due to begin in 2020 and open in 2025, at a cost of US$1.56 billion.^[3]