For years, the daily commute between Mexico City and Toluca has been long and exhausting. The roads, especially the highway, are often congested. The distance of 60 kilometers (37 miles) can take hours.
This problem affects tens of thousands of people every day—students, workers, and families. Now, after a very long wait, a new solution has arrived.
The Mexico-Toluca Interurban Train, called ‘El Insurgente,’ is finally fully open. This project took 12 years and three presidential terms to be completed. On February 2, President Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated the last 8.4 kilometers. This final section links the Santa Fe to the Observatorio Metro station in Mexico City.
El Insurgente’s goal is simple but important: to connect the Toluca Metropolitan Area with the western part of Mexico City. This connection aims to improve regional mobility at scale.
Most impressively, El Insurgente can transport 140,000 passengers per day, operating with 20 trains, each with a capacity of 719 passengers (326 seated).
Why El Insurgente is a Big Deal
El Insurgente provides a reliable, predictable, and safe alternative to cars and buses stuck in traffic. The train covers a total distance of 58 kilometers. It is not just a link between two major cities. It also connects to the Observatorio station, which is a major transportation hub for Mexico City’s Metro and bus networks. This makes it easy for people to continue their journey.
On El Insurgente, the full route takes roughly 50 minutes as the train’s dedicated tracks mean it is not affected by road traffic. This saves people hours every day, and the need to leave home for work or school as early as 4 a.m. to guarantee arriving on time.
How the Train Works
The train has seven stations along its route: Zinacantepec, Toluca Centro, Metepec, Lerma, Santa Fe, Vasco de Quiroga, and Observatorio. Trains run often, about every 10 to 15 minutes. This means people don’t have to wait long for the next one. The service hours are long to help early birds and night owls. From Monday to Friday, it runs from 5 in the morning until midnight. On Saturdays, it starts at 6 a.m., and on Sundays at 7 a.m., both running until midnight. The last train leaves Zinacantepec at 11 p.m., and the last one leaves Observatorio at midnight.
El Insurjente’s Fair Fare System
The cost of tickets on El Insurgente depends on the number of stations travelled, with short trips within the State of Mexico or within Mexico City costing 15 pesos, and the full trip from terminal to terminal, Zinacantepec to Observatorio or back, costs 100 pesos. When we consider the cost of gas, tolls, car maintenance, and the value of time saved, this fare is an outright bargain for most commuters.
“Honestly, I would be happy to pay twice as much. Travel via bus is a nightmare and incredibly unsafe. And taking the car is out of the question,” said Toluca resident Manuel Escovedo.
How to Ride
To use El Insurgente, commuters need a Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada (Integrated Mobility Card), or TUMI. This card is personal and cannot be shared. You can buy it and add money at the stations. You tap the card when you enter and tap again when you leave the station. This system automatically calculates the correct fare based on where you started and ended your trip. Riders are responsible for their own card and its balance. The train authority notes that if the card is lost or stolen, it cannot be replaced free of charge.
Part of a Larger Trend
El Insurgente joins other new public transit programs designed to make life in Mexico City’s metro area more livable. Other examples include CDMX’s Cablébus expansion, the ever-growing Metrobus network, light rail, and one of the world’s largest Metro systems.