Ferrovías
| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway transport |
| Founded | April 1, 1994 |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires , Argentina |
Area served | Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru |
| Products | Commuter rail services, Metro operation |
Ferrovías S.A.C. is a privately held enterprise that has managed the (metre gauge) Belgrano Norte Line commuter rail service in Buenos Aires, Argentina, since 1 April 1994. This operation was initiated under a government concession granted during the railway privatisation implemented by President Carlos Menem.
Between 2004 and 2014, Ferrovías participated in the consortium known as UGOFE, alongside Metrovías and Trenes de Buenos Aires. This group oversaw the management of the Belgrano Sur, Roca, and San Martín commuter rail lines following the revocation of concessions previously held by Metropolitano S.A. UGOFE was disbanded in 2013.
Additionally, Ferrovías operated the Puerto Madero Tramway located in Buenos Aires’ Puerto Madero area from its inauguration in July 2007 until its closure in October 2012.
Expanding beyond Argentina, the company also manages the Lima Metro in Peru, thereby strengthening its presence within Latin America's urban rail sector.
Background
By the end of the 1980s, Argentina’s national government had fully privatized its railway system. The process of transferring metropolitan services to private entities began in March 1991, with Ferrocarriles Metropolitanos S.A. (FEMESA) temporarily operating suburban routes until concessions were assigned to private companies.
Ferrovías administration
Ferrovías S.A.C. took over operations of the Línea Belgrano Norte on April 1, 1994. During its inaugural year, the line carried 14.8 million passengers.
The concession emphasized three primary goals:
- Modernizing track infrastructure, bridges, level crossings, signaling systems, and traffic management.
- Ensuring locomotives and carriages remained in excellent working order.
- Shortening travel times between Retiro and Villa Rosa while expanding carriage capacity.
These investments led to an increase in passenger volume to 36 million by 1999–2000, which further grew to 45.8 million by 2008.
A report from the General Auditing Office disclosed that subsidies provided by the state to Ferrovías had been redirected as loans to other affiliated holding companies. In 2011, Ferrovías received subsidies amounting to A$368.3 million.
Renovation of stations included enhancements to tracks and signage aimed at improving train operations. Contracts were awarded in November 2017, with work starting by March 2018.
In 2015, Ferrovías introduced the Emepa Alerce, a railcar developed by the Emepa Group. This service runs between Boulogne Sur Mer and Retiro, with each train capable of carrying 240 passengers and equipped with features such as automated doors, air conditioning, surveillance cameras, accessibility for disabled passengers, and Wi-Fi access.