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The State of São Paulo is launching the most ambitious railway tourism project in Brazil, planning the largest national network with more than a thousand kilometers of tracks and 23 circuits.
The State of São Paulo has just taken a bold step towards the future of tourism railway in Brazil, and the promise is ambitious: to create the largest network in the country, covering more than a thousand kilometers of tracks.
This initiative arises in a scenario where tourism is increasingly integrated into the history and culture of cities, transporting visitors along routes that connect landscapes and memories.
With a heavy investment and the goal of expanding the sector over the next decade, the project promises to transform tourism in São Paulo, making the sector take off and literally taking many Brazilians and tourists to new experiences aboard old and new trains.
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O Railway Tourism Program of the State of São Paulo, launched on November 6, designs a network that seeks not only to expand tourist routes, but also to establish a new standard for rail tourism in the country.
This program involves the expansion of 23 railway circuits, with connections to highways and other means of transport, in addition to financial incentives and workforce training.
The ultimate goal is to revitalize tourism and strengthen the sector with projects ranging from regional tourism to cultural initiatives, such as the creation of the Museum of the Revolution, in Cruzeiro, in the interior of São Paulo.
Economic impact and growth potential
According to the Tourism Economy Intelligence Center, rail tourism in São Paulo already generates around R$ 150 million annually.
The expectation, however, is even greater: the projection indicates that, with the completion of the expansion, revenue in the sector could reach R $ 1,8 billion over the next ten years.
This financial movement can even foster new employment opportunities and strengthen the local economy, in addition to enhancing the state's historical and cultural heritage.
This program has the support of the departments of Tourism and Travel, Partnerships and Investments, Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics, Metropolitan Transport, Culture, Economy and Creative Industry.
The project integrates the SP On Tracks, an initiative with more than 40 actions focused on the development of rail transport, covering everything from urban trains, VLTs (light rail vehicles) and intercity trains, to the expansion of subway lines and the development of freight trains.
Investments in this program are estimated at impressive $ 194 billion.
Expansion of railway circuits and regional tourism
São Paulo already has some operational railway circuits, which attract tourists and connect historical and cultural cities.
Among the existing circuits, the following stand out: Sao Paulo-Paranapiacaba Express, which takes passengers from São Paulo to the district of Paranapiacaba, in Santo André; Republic Train, which connects Salto to Itu; and the Guararema Train.
The expansion proposed by the Rail Tourism Program includes the creation of new routes: Activities such as floating on the Mantiqueira Express, which should connect Cruzeiro to the 1932 Revolution Tunnel and connect to Passa Quatro tourist train, in Minas Gerais.
This new line, in addition to boosting tourism, will also serve as an invitation to relive Brazilian history, since the tunnel was the scene of important historical events during the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932.
Roberto de Lucena, State Secretary of Tourism and Travel, highlights the positive impact of the project, stating that “tourist trains transform urban and rural landscapes, benefiting the municipalities they pass through”.
This is one of the project's main points: by promoting rail tourism, São Paulo not only reinvigorates rail transport, but also contributes to the development of cities and regions, promoting integration between tourism and strengthening the local economy.
Sustainable tourism and cultural appreciation
In addition to the economic attractions, the initiative also aims to have a positive environmental impact.
The expansion of rail tourism contributes to more sustainable tourism, by using a means of transport with lower pollutant emissions compared to highways and the air sector.
Furthermore, by offering circuits that pass through natural and historical areas, the project reinforces the preservation and appreciation of cultural and environmental heritage Sao Paulo.
This project responds to a growing demand for experiences that combine leisure, culture and environmental awareness, reflecting a desire among modern tourists for more immersive and authentic itineraries.
With over 1.000 kilometers of rail planned to crisscross the state, the expectation is that the program will inspire other states to invest in similar projects, expanding the reach and value of rail tourism throughout Brazil.
Opportunities for the future and investment in infrastructure
With the railway infrastructure being expanded and revitalized, the tourist network also represents an opportunity to generate direct and indirect jobs in the tourism and transport sector.
For professionals in the field, the growth of this sector opens doors to new training and career development linked to tourism and railway operations.
In terms of infrastructure, the Rail Tourism Program could even encourage future public-private partnerships, attracting investors interested in the long-term potential of the rail sector in the state.
How to apply for employment and training opportunities: Information on vacancies and qualifications for professionals in the tourism sector will be released by the government of São Paulo.
For more details, follow the updates on official portal of the state government.
This innovative project promises to transform tourism in the state of São Paulo and potentially serve as a model for rail tourism in Brazil.
Will this new scenario attract more tourists, positively impact the local economy and create new job opportunities?
I think it's cool that these articles have the title "São Paulo will have a train/subway line" when the most sensible thing to do would be "government promises to do it" because here in SP, most of them never come to fruition and what does happen is at least 10 years later than the deadline. It's always good to emphasize that it's always good to be very skeptical about whether the government will actually follow through this time.
This kind of news that a horde of politicians love to spread and that their friends or inexperienced journalists like to publish is pure deception. It will come out of his mouth and onto the paper in a year's time, he will say that he already has the money to do it and in the next election he will spend it all to get reelected or to try for another position one step higher. What has he done so far besides handing over profitable public companies to his greedy business friends? NOTHING, HE SPENT A LOT ON PROPAGANDA AND TO ELECT HIS FRIEND NUNES WHO IS POLITICALLY AS USELESS AS HE IS. He talks a lot and produces nothing and only privatizes to have a lot of money in his hands and not even God knows what he will do with it, as his ineligible guru did.
It would be good to have a train line that crossed the State of São Paulo from East to West.
Those who live in “Oste Paulista” could easily go to São Paulo or the coast.
It should be a line with modern trains and fixed schedules that serve the general public. An alternative to buses. Just like Vale has in MG and PA.
Over the decades, Brazil, with its corrupt politicians, has scrapped and destroyed the country's entire railway network. There should be a law that requires politicians to build kilometers of rails every year in a country of such great size. Brazil has gone in the opposite direction to other countries in the world that have grown and progressed on rails. It is high time to resume the growth of the railway network, whether for freight, public transport and tourism, or for long journeys connecting states, reducing costs on highways and fuel over tires... which only increase costs, accidents, criminal violence, etc.
With so much investment in the railway network to promote rail tourism, my question remains: what will happen to the cable car (electric train) on the Campos do Jordão Railway, which had 37 km, that's right, 37 km of wires stolen, the railway is abandoned and no one has ever talked about it again? If you want to know, just look up the theft of wires from the Campos do Jordão Railway, which connects Pindamonhangaba, in the Paraíba Valley, to the city of Campos do Jordão, in the Mantiqueira Mountains, a beautiful and pleasant tourist trip.