Consortia led by Comsa, OHL, ICA, Rubau and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation have submitted combined maximum bids of 13.271bn pesos (US$766mn), VAT included, for two contracts covering the station and auxiliary buildings of the Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo passenger train in northern Mexico.

The Integrated Public Train and Transport Agency (ATTRAPI) opened the proposals for both packages in early June 2026. The contracts form part of the complementary infrastructure required to operate the corridor, one of the passenger rail routes the federal government is promoting in the north of the country, with total estimated investment of US$9.104bn according to the Proyectos México platform.

Stations tender: six bids, 3.477bn–5.046bn pesos

The first tender covers the design and construction of six railway stations at General Escobedo, Salinas Victoria, Villaldama, Lampazos de Naranjo, Anáhuac and Nuevo Laredo. Six consortia combining Mexican and international construction companies submitted proposals.

The lowest financial offer, 3.477bn pesos including VAT, came from Group VI, made up of Proyectos y Desarrollos Salve, Zitum Desarrolladores, Tordec and Proyectos y Estudios Ferroviarios. Under Mexico's points-and-percentages evaluation mechanism, the lowest bid does not guarantee award, but it sets the cost baseline for the package.

At the opposite end, Group II — led by Spanish firm Comsa Infraestructuras with Regiomontana de Construcción y Servicios, Vise and Comsa — bid 5.046bn pesos, roughly 45% above the floor. Four further groups fell between the two extremes: a consortium of Calzada Construcciones, Construcciones y Dragados del Sureste, Rubau and ASCH at 3.688bn pesos; Constructora de Proyectos Viales de México, Ingeniería y Desarrollo Inmobiliario de México and Obrascón Huarte Laín (OHL) at 4.574bn; an ICA Constructora-led group with Garza Ponce at 4.623bn; and Impulsora de Desarrollo Integral, Proacon México, Construcciones Aldesem and Jaguar Ingenieros Constructores at 3.982bn pesos.

ATTRAPI has scheduled the award decision for June 9, 2026, with works planned to start on June 22. The contract sets an execution period of 934 calendar days — just over two and a half years of construction for the station buildings along the route.

Auxiliary buildings: five bids, 6.070bn–8.225bn pesos

In parallel, ATTRAPI opened bids for the design and construction of five auxiliary railway complexes: ZICA Derramadero, García Workshops and Depots, Las Torres Inspection Zone, Salinas Victoria Maintenance Base and ZICA Nuevo Laredo. These facilities house the maintenance, inspection and stabling functions the passenger operator will need to run services on the corridor.

Five groups participated. Group V — Proyectos y Desarrollos Salve, Tordec, Proyectos y Estudios Ferroviarios and Zitum Desarrolladores, the same core team that undercut the field in the stations tender — again posted the lowest bid at 6.070bn pesos including VAT. The highest offer, 8.225bn pesos, came from Group I: Calzada Construcciones, Construcciones y Dragados del Sureste, Rubau, Proveedora de Materiales del Norte and ASCH.

Three bids fell in between: the Constructora de Proyectos Viales de México, Ingeniería y Desarrollo Inmobiliario and OHL grouping at 6.337bn pesos; Comsa Infraestructuras, Regiomontana de Construcción y Servicios, Comsa and Vise at 7.152bn; and Impulsora de Desarrollo Integral, Aldesem, Proacon México, Jaguar Ingenieros Constructores and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) at 7.801bn pesos.

The award decision is scheduled for June 10, 2026. If ATTRAPI follows the official timetable, the contract would begin on June 25 with an execution period of 920 calendar days.

Structure of the tenders

ATTRAPI is running both processes as open international public bids, evaluated under a points-and-percentages mechanism with lump-sum contracts. The spread between lowest and highest bids — about 45% on the stations package and 36% on the auxiliary buildings — signals the range of technical interpretations and risk pricing among bidders for rail-specific building work in Mexico.

The bidder field includes groups led by Comsa, Rubau and OHL of Spain, CCECC of China, and Mexican contractors ICA, Aldesem and Garza Ponce, alongside firms specialized in railway infrastructure and civil works.

If ATTRAPI confirms both awards on schedule in June 2026, construction of the Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo passenger train's stations and support facilities would begin within the same month, anchoring the corridor's complementary infrastructure programme ahead of the wider US$9.104bn project pipeline.