For years, residents in and around Cuautitlán, a populous area to the north of Mexico City, have made the long journey into the city every day by “pesero” – the notoriously uncomfortable minibuses that clog the capital’s arteries, pump toxic fumes into the air and groan and hiss with almost every movement.
As of this month, however, tens of thousands of people swapped the peseros for a sleek, electric-powered train that whisks them into the city centre. The 12.50 peso ($1.21) ride is more costly, but few people have complained so far: the train, operated under a concession by a Spanish group, gets them to their destination in 25 minutes compared with the previous two-and-a-half hours.
