Nuevos Ferrocarriles Argentinos
| Company type | Government-owned corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway transport |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires , Argentina |
Area served | Argentina |
| Products | Passenger and freight rail transport, railway infrastructure management |
Number of employees | 30,102 (2022) |
Ferrocarriles Argentinos Sociedad del Estado (FASE) is an Argentine government-owned railway enterprise founded in 2015 to oversee and maintain the national rail system. This includes managing both passenger and freight transportation as well as the associated infrastructure. The company resurrects the historic name of the former national operator that was dismantled amid the 1989 railway privatisation and features a redesigned version of its classic logo. FASE operates through three main branches: Trenes Argentinos Operaciones (passenger services), Trenes Argentinos Cargas (freight operations), and Trenes Argentinos Infraestructura (infrastructure management).
In March 2021, the Ministry of Transport confirmed the reactivation of FASE after nearly five years of dormancy during Mauricio Macri’s administration. As of May 2022, Trenes Argentinos employed 30,102 individuals, positioning it as Argentina’s largest employer by workforce size.
History
The decision to renationalize the Argentine railway network was declared by President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner on 1 March 2015 during the opening session of the Congress of Argentina. At that point, only the Belgrano Norte and Urquiza lines remained under private passenger concessions, while freight services were managed by companies such as Nuevo Central Argentino (NCA), Ferroexpreso Pampeano, and Ferrosur.
On 15 April 2015, the Argentine Congress overwhelmingly approved the establishment of "Ferrocarriles Argentinos Sociedad del Estado," marking a governmental reclamation of railway operations and maintenance functions that had been privatized in the early 1990s during Carlos Menem’s presidency. This re-nationalisation legislation was officially enacted on May 20, 2015.
Although private operators like NCA, Ferroexpreso Pampeano, Ferrosur Roca, Metrovías, and Ferrovías continued their activities following the law's passage, Ferrocarriles Argentinos S.E. retained authority to renegotiate or terminate these contracts.
As part of a comprehensive rail modernization initiative spearheaded by Minister Mario Meoni, "Ferrocarriles Argentinos S.E." was relaunched on March 8, 2021, with new headquarters established at Constitución railway station. This revival reinstated the historic brand with an updated logo and reintegrated divisions that had previously functioned independently during Mauricio Macri’s tenure.
In October 2024, under President Javier Milei, FASE’s human resources department, known as "Trenes Argentinos Capital Humano," was disbanded as a budget-cutting strategy expected to save $42 billion annually. This restructuring led to substantial reductions in personnel.
Organizational structure
By 2015, FASE’s board of directors consisted of six members: a representative from the Secretary of Transport; presidents from ADIF, SOFSE, and Belgrano CyL; and two additional members appointed by the Ministry of Transport based on nominations from registered railway unions.
The company is responsible for planning, operating, and managing Argentina’s entire rail network covering both passenger and freight services. It administers the system under an "open access" framework that permits multiple private entities to offer freight transport along its routes.
Divisions
By October 2024, FASE manages three principal branches:
- Trenes Argentinos Operaciones – responsible for passenger transport
- Trenes Argentinos Cargas – handles freight transportation
- Trenes Argentinos Infraestructura (ADIFSE) – in charge of infrastructure administration