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Negotiation with European investors puts the high-speed train between São Paulo and Rio in a new stage, while TAV Brasil tries to unlock financing, technology, licensing, and decisions about stations before the schedule that foresees construction in 2027 and operation in 2032.
The high-speed train project between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro has advanced to a phase considered decisive by TAV Brasil, which is seeking a European investor to make the line feasible, according to the company’s president, Bernardo Figueiredo.
For the company, defining this partner is the main step to take the project off the drawing board, as the chosen group must have financial capacity, railway technology, operational experience, and involvement in businesses related to future stations.
European investor can unlock the Rio-SP bullet train
Still in the preliminary phase, the conversations indicate a trend towards an agreement with European investors, after TAV Brasil maintained dialogue with Chinese entrepreneurs and also evaluated alternatives linked to Japanese and South Korean groups.
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In Figueiredo’s assessment, the Japanese showed interest only in a model with direct public sector participation, while South Korean representatives did not approach the company to discuss potential involvement in the project.
Besides financing, the choice of partner should influence engineering decisions, as each railway technology requires specific solutions for tunnels, ramps, civil works, security systems, and operational integration along the route.
Even with the main route practically consolidated, defining the train model and equipment may still lead to specific adjustments in the project, especially in sections that depend on more complex technical solutions.
Due to these variables, the company has not yet presented a closed estimate for the total investment in the bullet train, while negotiations with potential partners remain protected by confidentiality clauses.
Route foresees stations between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro
According to the current design, the system should include stations in São Paulo, São José dos Campos, and in the South Fluminense, before reaching Rio de Janeiro, with a regional stop still between Barra Mansa and Volta Redonda.
Negotiations with the Barra Mansa City Hall are more advanced, according to Figueiredo, which increases the chances of the municipality receiving the planned station to serve passengers from the intermediate region in the state of Rio.
In São Paulo’s capital, the company is considering installing the terminal at the future Água Branca station, an area expected to concentrate connections with metro-rail lines and regional transport services.
In Rio de Janeiro, TAV Brasil has set aside the initial proposal to use the Santa Cruz branch and is now considering the Central do Brasil region as the final destination of the system.
To enable the arrival in the capital of Rio de Janeiro, the executive stated that there was an agreement with SuperVia to share part of the railway infrastructure, in a stage seen as relevant to integrate the train into the center of Rio.
Direct trip between capitals should take 1h30
The operation planned by TAV Brasil combines two service models, with an express connection between the capitals and another with intermediate stops in strategic cities along the route.
In the direct mode between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the estimate presented by the company is a trip of approximately one and a half hours, with an average fare around R$ 500.
This value was calculated based on studies that pointed to a price equivalent to about 60% to 70% of the average airfare practiced on the air bridge, although the final policy depends on the chosen operator.
“The train does not have the uncertainties of the airplane,” stated Figueiredo, arguing that the predictability of rail transport can become a competitive advantage in the face of operational interruptions recorded at São Paulo airports.
Intermediate tickets may start from R$ 250
With stops at intermediate points, the second service should have fares closer to those charged in road transport, with studies working on values between R$ 250 and R$ 300 for certain trips.
This mode should serve trips to cities like São José dos Campos, Barra Mansa, or Volta Redonda, reinforcing the proposal to unite a fast connection between capitals with regional trips of greater reach.
In addition to ticket sales, TAV Brasil considers real estate development around the stations as one of the economic bases of the project, with the possibility of creating residential and commercial hubs associated with the railway.
In the vision presented by Figueiredo, international experiences show that high-speed stations can stimulate urban development around the terminals, provided that planning is integrated with local mobility and services.
ANTT Authorization and Environmental Licensing
In 2023, the National Land Transport Agency approved the signing of an adhesion contract for the construction and operation of a railway between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, for a period of 99 years.
Published in the Official Gazette of the Union on Wednesday (22), the authorization falls under the model of private railways, in which the company is responsible for assuming risks, seeking financing, developing projects, and obtaining licenses.
At the time of approval, the ANTT stated that authorized railway projects still need to comply with regulatory milestones, including the presentation of a preliminary environmental license, installation license, and operation license.
The schedule estimated by TAV Brasil foresees the start of construction in 2027 and the beginning of operation in 2032, but these deadlines depend on the completion of environmental licensing and the definition of the investor group.
According to the company’s own president, the dates should be treated as references, because the project involves complex engineering, large-scale financing, environmental approvals, and commercial decisions still pending.
With the European partner still under negotiation and licenses pending, will the high-speed train finally manage to transform the connection between the two largest metropolises in the country, or will it face obstacles that have already delayed previous projects?
