Beach train will have 400 km, from Daule to Manta

Ecuadornews:

The beach train that will go from Daule to Manta and that was announced by the Government is intended to be built in stages. The first, which includes a hundred kilometers, will be ready in 26 months, said yesterday the Minister of Transport and Public Works, Aurelio Hidalgo.

This section will include Daule, Guayaquil and Posorja.

From Carondelet, in a joint press conference, the Secretary General of the Presidency, Eduardo Jurado, said that the financing would not include more than one billion dollars, but the studies will determine the final figure.

The financing of the studies could be non-refundable and the hiring process based on the concession figure, since the first stage would be profitable and there would be no problem for the execution, on the part of the investors.

“The second stage may have to be a small subsidy from the State, always thinking about the tourism development of the area,” said Jurado.

In that section that will advance to Manta will pass before by Peninsular towns like Chanduy, Ancón, Punta Blanca, Ayangue, Montañita and others.

This project, which will have 400 km in total, will serve passengers, cargo and tourism, explained the Government to differentiate it from the cruise train, which already passes part of the Ecuadorian Sierra, with which we can speak of an economic reactivation of that area of the country.

The ports of Guayaquil, Posorja and Manta will be interconnected, the airports of Manta, the airport of Chongón that will be in the future and the one of Salinas. In addition, the transfer of products from Petrillo, Nobol, Daule will be cheaper.

In the peninsula of Santa Elena, which last century had a railroad that went from Guayaquil to Salinas, there is an expectation for the project announced and that it would cross through several towns.

José Villón, peninsular writer who wrote a book on the history of the railway, said that the activation of a project will not only be a contribution to tourism development, but also to the economic one.

The writer said that with foreign investment it is possible and he recalled that the railway now has some rails, but turned into poles.

“That would be fantastic because it would give the possibility to many of our towns in the agricultural area of Chanduy, it would be a historical cultural and tourist economic contribution,” said Boris Sarmiento, an ex-geographer and historian in the province of Santa Elena.

Sarmiento recalled that the train that arrived at the Peninsula had its station in Santa Elena on the street Márquez de La Plata. “Back in 1947, people came to see the arrival of the train,” he said.

Douglas Dillon, hotel entrepreneur, said that the passage of the railroad is feasible. “Many will say, but if the other railroads are broken, of course, but they only thought about tourism and not about cargo and trade,” he said.

In Manabí, there is also expectation, but at the same time caution. María Do Nacimento, owner of the Itapoa hotel in Puerto López, indicated that the passage of the train would bring benefits to this town in southern Manabí, as long as the stations do not touch the Los Frailes area.

Patricio Tamariz, director of Tourism of the Provincial Council of Manabí, indicated that since the first tourism plan was worked on, it was commented from the private sector that a train would be spectacular by the coastal profile.

As part of the execution we look for a complete and integral solution for transportation, through a modern freight and passenger railroad. ” Aurelio Hidalgo, Minister of Transport.

It would be (the train) to an alternative to take out containers from the deepwater port … and obviously it will help the tourism sector. “Douglas Dillon, tour operator.

Section Naranjito-Bucay is suspended

Two routes by train leave from Durán station. The one is called Train of the Sweetness and although in principle it arrived until Bucay, at the moment the arrival to that corner is suspended, approximately from last February.

This was confirmed yesterday by personnel working in the Duran station who indicated that maintenance of the track is being carried out.

Therefore, the current circuit is Durán-Yaguachi-Naranjito-Milagro-Durán, at a cost of $ 32 per person. The route leaves on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, from 08:00 to 16:00. The fare covers the ticket, guide and interpretative talks.

The other route that leaves Durán station is called Tren a las Nubes and arrives in Quito. The tour takes place over four days and four nights, it departs every two weeks.

The cost of this cruise train modality route (one-way) is $ 1,993 per person. The value includes lodging in hotels and first class hostels, plus all meals.

Those who mostly access this route are foreign tourists. And from Naranjito to Riobamba the trip is made by bus, passing through Bucay. However, there are other sections that are made by bus, depending on the accessibility of the sites. (I)

Source: https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/2018/10/11/nota/6994343/tren-playero-tendra-400-km-daule-manta