The train that connects Argentina and Uruguay and that left the northern locality of Pilar early this morning won’t make it to its city of destination «due to administrative issues with the Uruguayan government,» TBA spokesman Gustavo Gago announced.
“This first trip will only reach the Uruguayan city of Salto due to an administrative delay with the Uruguayan government. The train was expected to reach Salto at 6 pm, after departing from the northern locality of Pilar at 8 am Friday.
Around 25 passengers boarded the train today and left the station with local neighbors waving Argentine and Uruguayan flags. The trip is to take eighteen hours as the service is still in a preliminary testing phase.
The service will be operated by the private company Buenos Aires Trains (TBA) and the state-run companies Sofse and AFE. Other than the city of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, there will be four stops in Argentina (Pilar, Basabilbaso, Villaguay and Concordia) and three more in Uruguay (Salto, Paysandú and Paso de Los Toros).
The reactivation of the railway is to be carried out in two stages. In the first, the company Buenos Aires Trains (TBA) takes responsibility for the railway.
This first stage will link Pilar with Paso de los Toros (813 kilometers of tracks). The goal is to later connect Montevideo with Buenos Aires.
The train has the capacity to carry 140 passengers. Inauguration prices are offered with US$33 promotional fares. “The train will reach its usual speed of 115 kilometers a hour. We remind passengers that in Corcordia (Argentinean border) and Salto ( Uruguayan border) passengers must go through customs and immigration,” said the spokesman of TBA Gustavo Gago.
Source: Buenos Aires Herald