The President of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou, together with other government and business authorities, has inaugurated the Ferrocarril Central de Uruguay project, a railway corridor linking the city of Paso de los Toros, in the centre of the country, with the port of Montevideo, built by the Grupo Vía Central consortium, led by Sacyr (SCYR) Concesiones.
The new line has an extension of 265 kilometres and required the laying of 343 kilometres of new tracks, as it has several sections with more than one layout to enable trains to cross. In addition, 25 stations and passenger stops have been rehabilitated, 128 railway bridges have been built and 6 trenches have been constructed, including two railway trenches that allow the train to travel underground for almost 4 kilometres. The track is essentially a freight track, although it is prepared for the inclusion of passengers, and has a new signalling and railway monitoring system.
The project has required an investment of nearly €915 million. Grupo Vía Central is made up of Sacyr (40%), two Uruguayan companies, Saceem (27%) and Berkes (6%), and the French firm NGE (27%).
