Contract for one of Chile’s largest infrastructure projects

An artist’s impression of a finished station on the Alameda–Melipilla Railway, Chile. Image: Ayesa Engineering

The railway is one of Chile’s largest infrastructure projects and with an estimated investment of US$1.887 billion, it is the largest tender ever awarded by EFE, the Chilean state-owned railway company.

Ayesa will lead supervisory services – alongside DRS (40%) and ILF (20%) – of the 35.9km Melipilla–Malloco section. This stretch passes through the municipalities of Melipilla, El Monte, Talagante, and Peñaflor, and includes both passenger and freight tracks.

The project will include the construction of four stations, along with maintenance workshops, train depots, and the El Sotillo and Los Pajaritos road crossings in Peñaflor.

The contract is valued at €18.6 million and covers one of the three segments of the Alameda–Melipilla commuter rail line – an eagerly awaited infrastructure project that has now been officially approved. With a projected investment of US$1.887 billion, it stands as the largest public tender in EFE’s history.

The project is expected to reduce travel times and improve overall mobility. The new commuter line promises daily travel time savings of over two hours along its 61km route connecting Greater Santiago with the city of Melipilla. Once operational, the line is expected to serve over 57 million passengers annually.

A total of 22 fully electric trains with a capacity of 807 passengers will operate along the full route, reaching speeds of up to 140 km/h. The project includes the construction of eleven stations, five tracks (three for passengers and two for freight), and connections to Santiago Metro lines 1 and 6.