Britain to finance Guatemala light rail

On 9 July the British and Guatemalan governments signed an agreement to finance the Metro Riel light rail project with up to £5bn available over five years to help bring the project to fruition. Financing opportunities will come through the UK Export Finance and knowledge through Infrastructure Exports UK.  

 

A 21km north–south standard-gauge line is to be built connecting Centra Norte and Centra Sur long-distance bus terminals through the city centre. with 22 stations, using in part abandoned heavy rail alignments within the structure of a 30-year USD 770M PPP model. 250 000 passengers/day could be carried.  

 

35 low-floor trams are envisaged, running every three minutes at peak periods and taking 41 minutes to cover the line. No timescale has yet been put on the project, but construction will take at least three years..