General Urquiza Railway
| Company type | State-owned (historically) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Buenos Aires Central Railway, Entre Ríos Railway, Argentine North Eastern Railway, Argentine State Railway |
| Founded | 1948 |
| Founder | Government of Argentina |
| Fate | Nationalised in 1948; privatised starting 1991; currently refers to infrastructure and services rather than a company |
| Successor | Ferrocarriles Argentinos (until dissolution), private operators including Metrovías, Trenes Argentinos |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires , Argentina |
Area served | Provinces of Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Corrientes, Misiones |
| Products | Passenger and freight rail services |
| Owner | Government of Argentina (infrastructure and services) |
| Parent | Ferrocarriles Argentinos (historically) |
The General Urquiza Railway (FCGU) (Spanish: Ferrocarril General Urquiza), named in honor of the Argentine general and statesman Justo José de Urquiza, is a standard gauge rail system extending northward from Buenos Aires to Posadas, featuring several branch lines. It was established as one of six state-run railway companies following the 1948 nationalisation of Argentina’s rail network under President Juan Perón. These entities were overseen by Ferrocarriles Argentinos until the railway privatisation initiative commenced in 1991 during President Carlos Menem’s administration.
The FCGU integrated the British-owned standard gauge lines of the Entre Ríos Railway and Argentine North Eastern Railway, alongside portions of the Argentine State Railway. Its primary routes originate at Buenos Aires’ Federico Lacroze railway station and proceed northeast across the provinces of Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Corrientes, and Misiones.
Currently, the term Urquiza Railway (Ferrocarril Urquiza) refers to Argentina’s standard gauge rail infrastructure and its operating services rather than a distinct state-owned company.
Origins
The initial segment that forms part of today’s Urquiza railway was a 10-kilometre line between Gualeguay and Puerto Ruiz in Entre Ríos, inaugurated in 1866 by the Argentine Central Entre Ríos Railway. By 1887, the stretch from Paraná, Entre Ríos to Concepción del Uruguay was completed, including branch lines to Villaguay, Gualeguaychú, and Victoria. The British-owned Entre Ríos Railway took over Central Entre Ríos Railway in 1892.
In 1873, the British-founded East Argentine Railway began operations between Concordia and Mercedes, extending northward into Corrientes. Legislative approval for expansion into the province of Misiones province came in 1886, connecting Monte Caseros to Posadas. Ownership shifted to the Argentine North Eastern Railway in 1898, which completed the Monte Caseros to Posadas line by 1890.
At the same time, Argentine businessman Federico Lacroze’s Buenos Aires Central Railway launched a standard gauge route from Buenos Aires to Pilar and Zárate in 1888. This line reached into Entre Ríos by 1906. A traffic-sharing arrangement with British rail companies subsequently linked Buenos Aires with Corrientes and Misiones provinces by rail. Initially reliant on train ferries crossing the Paraná River, bridges and viaducts were later built to enhance connectivity.
By 1913, train ferry services began operating across the upper Paraná River between Posadas and Encarnación, establishing a connection between Argentina’s rail system and Paraguay’s network leading to its capital, Asunción.
Nationalisation
Following Argentina’s railway nationalisation in 1948, all standard gauge lines were consolidated under Ferrocarril General Urquiza (General Urquiza Railway), which became one of six divisions within Ferrocarriles Argentinos.
After nationalisation, the following standard gauge companies were merged into the Urquiza Railway network:
| Template:Center | ||
| Former company | Origin | Provinces |
|---|---|---|
| Buenos Aires Central | Argentina | Buenos Aires, Santa Fe |
| Entre Ríos (1) | United Kingdom | Entre Ríos |
| Argentine North Eastern (2) | United Kingdom | Entre Ríos, Corrientes, Misiones |
| Corrientes Economic | Argentina | Corrientes Province |
Notes:
- (1) The Entre Ríos Railway absorbed the Central Entre Ríos Railway in 1892.
- (2) The Argentine North Eastern acquired control of the East Argentine Railway in 1907.
During Carlos Menem’s neoliberal reforms in 1991, the railway system was privatised. Nonetheless, as of 2015, initiatives have been underway aiming to re-nationalise Argentina’s railways, including segments of the Urquiza line.
Suburban branch
Within the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, there is an electrified commuter rail line that runs from the Federico Lacroze terminal in Chacarita to General Lemos station located in the suburban area of San Miguel. This segment represents the only electrified portion and is the exclusive passenger route managed by the private operator Metrovías. At Federico Lacroze station, passengers can transfer to Line B of the Buenos Aires Underground system.
Although initially designed to integrate with Underground Line B through an underground ramp at its endpoint, this connection has yet to be realized. Nonetheless, the current infrastructure maintains the possibility for a future link that would allow direct service into central Buenos Aires.
Gran Capitán
El Gran Capitán (The Great Captain) was a passenger train service connecting Buenos Aires and Posadas, originally operated by Ferrocarriles Argentinos (FA) and subsequently by Trenes Especiales Argentinos (TEA). Following the dissolution of FA, long-distance train operations ceased in 1993; however, TEA reintroduced this route in 2003. The service was discontinued in November 2011 but briefly resumed in 2012 under Trenes de Buenos Aires. This revival ended after the Buenos Aires rail disaster led to its cancellation.
Since then, there have been ongoing appeals to restore this service amid a wider movement of railway reactivations across the country beginning in 2014.
Local Entre Ríos services
In Entre Ríos Province, intercity rail services operate along routes connecting Paraná, Entre Ríos with Concepción del Uruguay and from Basavilbaso to Concordia. These lines were originally part of the Central Entre Ríos Railway network and are currently run by the state-owned company Trenes Argentinos, utilizing rolling stock supplied by Materfer. Numerous lines are presently undergoing refurbishment to enhance service standards.
Additionally, Paraná offers a commuter rail system on the Urquiza railway line featuring six weekday trips between Paraná and Colonia Avellaneda with eight stops, as well as two weekday trips between Paraná and Villa Fontana serving four stops. These commuter services receive substantial subsidies aimed at benefiting local passengers.
International rail connections
The Posadas-Encarnación route links Posadas, located in Argentina's Misiones province, with Encarnación in Paraguay. Initiated in 2014, this service is managed by Casimiro Zbikoski S.A. under the umbrella of the state-owned Trenes Argentinos and utilizes Dutch Wadloper train sets. Handling a daily ridership of approximately 8,000 passengers, the line is approaching its operational limits, leading to discussions about potential capacity enhancements.
The Tren de los Pueblos Libres operated as a rural railway connecting Pilar in Argentina with Paso de los Toros in Uruguay. Its service was discontinued in May 2012 when the Argentine government withdrew concessions from Trenes de Buenos Aires, following the tragic Buenos Aires rail accident that same year.