The companies Ferrocarril Mexicano (Ferromex) and Kansas City Southern de México (KCSM) increased their market share in the movement of freight by rail in Mexico during the first three quarters of 2020.

Comparing the periods from January to September 2019 and 2020, Ferromex increased its market share from 47.6 to 48.7%; while KCSM increased its participation from 35.2 to 36.3 percent.

Although railroads have played an increasingly important role in the transportation sector, their share of the Mexican freight movement remains relatively low, accounting for around 12% of the tons of goods transported through Mexico.

From January to September 2020, Ferromex and KCSM recorded year-on-year drops in freight movement, but in a proportion less to the trend for the entire sector4r.

In that period, Ferromex registered a year-on-year decrease of 3.2%, to 43 million 387,000 tons.

For its part, KCSM moved 32 million 346,000 tons, a decrease of 2.5%, year over year.

Ferromex

Currently, Mexico operates 74 intermodal terminals, including 30 inland multimodal terminals, 18 rail terminals, 18 port terminals, and eight private automotive terminals.

The entire sector moved 89 million 181,000 tons, a decrease of 5.3% year-on-year.

Mexico has a freight rail system owned by the national government and operated by various entities under concessions granted by the national government.

The rail system provides freight and passenger services throughout the country (although most of the service is freight oriented).

The network connects the main industrial centers with ports and with rail connections on the United States border.

From January to September, Ferrosur transported 10 million 063,000 tons (-11.2% year-on-year); Ferrocarril y Terminal del Valle de México, 1 million 342,000 tons (-23.3%); Coahuila-Durango Line, 1 million 674,000 tons (-31.8%); Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec (FIT), 263,000 tons (-49.4%), and Administration of the Tijuana-Tecate Short Route, 106,000 tons (-7 percent).