CRCC signed a $470 million contract for the construction of a section of the Santiago-Batuco commuter line in Chile, and therefore the project ranks as one of the biggest the country has witnessed in its railway history.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

CRCC to build section of new Santiago–Batuco commuter line
Photo: EFE

Contract and project scale

In August 2025, Chile-state railway signed a contract with a consortium led by CRCC. The contract covered six new stations, seven bridges, one crossing the Mapocho River, and armed level crossings.

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Construction starts back up in December of 2025. However, the bid for the underground section with two stations will be in late 2025, assuring the concurrent progress of both the surface and underground construction.

Santiago–Batuco commuter

The new commuter line will be 26 kilometers long and link eight stations. It will cover five municipalities within the Santiago Metropolitan Region. Passenger usage is forecasted at 35 million per year, with the aim of reducing road congestion.

The travel time from ends will be reduced to 24 minutes with the top speed for trains of 120 km/h. At the same time, a separate track for freight trains will be assigned, providing higher efficiency and reliability.

Rolling stock supply

As part of another contract, CRRC Sifang and Chilean company Temoinsa will deliver 32 electric trains, of them 10 trains for the Santiago–Batuco line. Up to 807 passengers can be transported by one train.

The remaining 22 trains will be delivered for the Melitrén project, a commuter line of 61 km length from Santiago to Melipilla. The deliveries will be started from 2027, and therefore the new lines will be equipped with modern rolling stock.

When will the Santiago–Batuco line finish?

The complete opening of the Santiago–Batuco commuter line will materialize by 2030, and preliminary construction activities will commence by the month of December 2025.

How does the project benefit the community?

CRCC is the contractor for the northern extension of the line of Santiago-Batuco. It carries out the main work like stations, bridges, and the system of signals.

How many trains are being supplied for the line?

The Santiago–Batuco line will receive 10 newly built CRRC Sifang electric trains, which will carry 807 passengers each. The remaining 22 trains will be allocated for the Melitrén commuter project.

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