Overview
Map of the railway network currently in operation. Source: ANI (National Infrastructure Agency)
Given the geographic conditions in Colombia, natural corridors of the railway system have been built in a south-north direction, of which two corridors are located in the great valleys of the Cauca and Magdalena rivers. The third one is the eastern corridor passing through Bogotá. These three rail corridors are operating under regular maintenance and assessment divided into three Railway Networks: Atlantic, Central and Pacific networks.
In Colombia, 95% of the railway network is currently dedicated to the transportation of minerals, cement, coke, coal and containerized cargo.
At the regulatory level, Colombia lacks a General Law for the railway sector, as is the case in other countries that have reached a certain level of development for this means of transportation. However, the railway concession system is currently regulated. Concessioned railways are presently managed by the National Infrastructure Agency (ANI), responsible for structuring and operating State transportation infrastructure concessions.
After implementing the concession strategy launched in 2000, estimated benefits include reducing costs by 26% by 2030 and logistics chain times; attracting foreign investment; strengthening freight and raw material transportation services; and increasing the country's competitiveness indexes.
In terms of regional development, this strategy will contribute to consolidating decentralized markets under clear rules and modern technological tools. Furthermore, developing the railway infrastructure will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a significant step towards sustainable growth.
This strategy arose as a result of more than two years of joint work between the Vice-Presidency of Colombia, the Ministry of Transport, the National Roads Institute, the National Infrastructure Agency, the Inter-American Development Bank and the National Planning Department (DNP).
Map of the railway network currently in operation. Source: ANI (National Infrastructure Agency)
Atlantic Railway Network
Section |
Length (km) |
---|---|
Cerrejón - Puerto Bolívar |
130 |
Chiriguaná - Ciénaga |
210 |
Ciénaga -Santa Marta |
35 |
La Loma - Ciénaga |
182 |
Puerto Nuevo, Puerto Drummond - Santa Marta |
35 |
Total |
592 |
Source: ANI (National Infrastructure Agency)
The Atlantic Railway Network comprises Santa Marta and the La Loma-Ciénaga and Chiriguaná - Ciénaga sections covering 592 km and passing through the departments of Cesar, Guajira and Magdalena.
In addition, a commercial railway covering 35 km from Puerto Nuevo to Puerto Drummond in Santa Marta is used for cargo transportation, mainly coal, and the Cerrejón - Puerto Bolívar railway, a 130-km standard gauge line built to transport coal from the Cerrejón mines to Puerto Bolívar.
Central Railway Network
Section |
Length (km) |
---|---|
Bogotá - Belencito |
262 |
Belencito - Paz de Río |
39 |
Belencito - Lenguazaque |
152 |
La Caro - Lenguazaque |
76 |
Bogotá - La Caro - Zipaquirá |
53 |
Bogotá - Facatativá |
40 |
Bogotá - La Dorada |
200 |
La Dorada - Barrancabermeja |
243 |
Barrancabermeja - Chiriguaná |
281 |
Grecia - San Rafael de Lebrija |
189 |
Grecia - Barrancabermeja |
115 |
Grecia - Cadena |
145 |
Puerto Berrío - Medellín (Bello) |
187 |
Bello - Envigado |
9 |
Villavieja - Buenos Aires |
307 |
TOTAL |
2,298 |
Source: ANI (National Infrastructure Agency)
The Central Railway Network comprises Bogotá and the Bogotá - Belencito and Bogotá - Lenguazaque sections, covering 2298 km and passing through the departments of Santander, Boyacá, Antioquia, Cundinamarca, Caldas, Huila and Tolima.
The private railway network covers 39 km along the Belencito - Paz de Río lines.
The Grecia - Barrancabermeja - Grecia - Cadena line for passenger transportation covers 260 km. The Bogotá - La Caro - Zipaquirá line for passenger transportation covers 53 km.
Pacific Railway Network
Section |
Length (km) |
---|---|
Buenaventura -Cali |
174 |
Cali - Cartago |
173 |
Cartago – La Felisa |
112 |
Zarzal - Tebaida |
40 |
TOTAL |
499 |
Source: ANI (National Infrastructure Agency)
The Pacific Railroad Network covers 499 km in the Buenaventura - Cali - Zarzal - La Tebaida section through the departments of Valle del Cauca, Caldas, Quindío and Risaralda. The concession is held by Sociedad Red Férrea del Pacífico S.A. and Tren de Occidente S.A. Some of the goods transported are paper pulp and raw materials, sugar, sheet metal, sleepers, chemical products and supplies, spare parts, scrap metal, corn, raw materials, pipes and containerized cargo in general.
Distance Matrix
|
Bogotá |
Cali |
La Dorada |
Cartago |
Belencito |
Buenaventura |
Bogotá |
|
200 km |
|
262 km |
|
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cali |
|
|
173 km |
|
174 km |
|
La Dorada |
200 km |
|
|
|
||
Cartago |
|
173 km |
|
|
|
|
Belencito |
262 km |
|
|
|
||
Buenaventura |
174 km |
|
|
|
|
Railway companies and consortiums
Ferrocarriles del Norte de Colombia (FENOCO S.A.)
FENOCO is a Colombian company responsible for operating the Atlantic railway network concession. The company gives users access to transport all types of cargo. In addition, it performs traffic control, maintenance and construction on 245 kilometers of railway line.
The purpose of this concession (Central and Atlantic Railway Network) is to rehabilitate and rebuild 1,107 km of railroad track and maintain the entire concessioned railway network, including 1,783 km previously rehabilitated by Ferrovías, for the provision of freight services. The concession term is 30 years starting on March 3, 2000.
Some business users of this railway network are:
- Drummond Coal Mining LLC https://www.drummondltd.com/
- CI Prodeco S.A. http://www.grupoprodeco.com.co/es/
Ferrocarril del Pacifico S.A.S. (*) and Tren de Occidente S.A.
The purpose of the Pacific Railway Network concession contract is to rehabilitate, rebuild, conserve and operate the railway corridor under concession. The concession term is 30 years. The concession started on March 14, 2000.
https://www.trendeoccidente.com/index.php
(*) Ferrocarril del Pacífico S.A.S. does not currently have an official website.
Capacity Table
Rail Operator Capacity |
||||
|
Drummond |
Cerrejón |
Fenoco |
Ferrocarril del Oeste |
---|---|---|---|---|
Railway lines or sections |
La Loma – Ciénaga |
Chiriguaná - Ciénaga |
Bogotá -Belencito |
Buenaventura– Cali |
Max train length and/or pulling capacity |
50 tons per wagon |
96 - 110 tons per wagon |
59 tons per wagon |
96 - 110 tons per wagon |
Locomotive type |
Diesel |
Diesel |
Diesel |
Diesel |
Covered freight wagon dimensions (m) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Flatbed freight wagon dimensions (m) |
N/A |
N/A |
12 |
10 |
High-sided freight wagon dimensions (m) |
(124) -130 |
562 |
N/A |
N/A |
Dropside freight wagon dimensions (m) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Main Railway Lines Strategic Information
The country does not have any railways connecting with bordering countries.
Key railway stations
Key station information |
Puerto Bolívar |
Puerto Drummond |
Location |
Atlántico |
Atlántico |
---|---|---|
Additional comments |
The entire coal loading, transport and unloading cycle averages approximately 12 hours. |
The railway line used is currently under concession to Fenoco, which has been extended to a double-track line in more than 63% of the section. |
Contact information |
Cerrejón |
Drummon LTD |
Handling Equipment |
Three stackers - Coal stackers |
Rotary dumpers |
Connections with other transport means |
Sea port - Road |
Sea port - Road |
Handling equipment capacity |
5500 ton per hour |
5500 ton per hour |
Storage capacity (square meters and cubic meters) |
5.4 million metric tons |
800,000 metric tons |
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