Costa Rica News – Even those who are fans of the trains in Costa Rica, and especially those who regularly rely on them, are beginning to question the effectiveness of this service.
Is it really saving any time at all compared to buses when there are so frequent delays?
There are near constant delays and sudden, unexpected cancellations. On top of that, the trains that are in use and on schedule are often in disrepair. Aresep has just one inspector for all transportation services and there is no maintenance plan in place for the train system.
The constant breaches in schedule are causing many employees trouble at work. If someone takes the train all five days a week it is possible that they will be on time just once. Sometimes the 8 am train leaves at 8:30 am and with just four cars to fit all the people waiting.
The company in charge of ticketing has seen sales decrease as passengers lose confidence.
The routes most negatively affected are Cartago-San Jose and Heredia-San Jose, down 23% from July to September.
