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Lots of tracks, but… Why are trains so rare in Brazil these days?

Written by Alisson Ficher
Published 12/01/2025 às 23:53
Why did Brazil abandon its rails? Learn about the history and challenges of Brazilian railways in a country of continental dimensions.
Why did Brazil abandon its rails? Learn about the history and challenges of Brazilian railways in a country of continental dimensions.

Brazil, despite its vast territory, abandoned much of its railway network throughout the 20th century. With underutilized tracks and investments focused on highways, the country missed an opportunity to integrate regions and promote public transport. Understand the historical, geographic and economic causes behind this decline.

Trains, once a symbol of modernity and progress, are now a rarity in Brazil.

Despite a rail network that crosses states and connects ports to the interior, the rail network is underutilized and, in many cases, abandoned.

Why doesn't Brazil, a country of continental dimensions, take advantage of the potential of its railways?

The answer is rooted in a history marked by political decisions, economic interests and social transformations that redesigned transportation in the country.

The decline of the railway network

According to journalist Bruno Vaiano, from the magazine Veja, the current Brazilian railway network has 30.660 km of tracks, according to data from the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (DNIT).

In contrast, the road network exceeds 1,7 million kilometers. This disproportion reflects a decline that began decades ago.

In the 1960s, Brazil reached its railway peak with 38.287 km of tracks.

Since then, population and economic growth has not been accompanied by investment in railway infrastructure.

At the beginning of the 20th century, between 1900 and 1914, Brazil built more than 900 km of tracks per year.

However, The peak of railway maintenance and reliability occurred before World War I., when the system was more robust and efficient.

The situation began to deteriorate in the post-war period, with much of the infrastructure already obsolete.

Railways played a fundamental role in Brazilian culture. As Vaiano points out, football in Brazil has deep ties with the railways.

Charles Miller, considered the father of football in the country, was the son of a director of the São Paulo Railway, which transported coffee from the interior of São Paulo to the port of Santos.

The sport arrived in the interior of Brazil through railway workers, influenced by European immigrants who introduced football to railway communities.

Iconic clubs such as Ponte Preta, from Campinas, and Sport Club Rio Grande, the first club in the country, have their histories closely linked to the tracks.

Ponte Preta, for example, got its name from a wooden railway bridge that was impregnated with soot from steam locomotives.

Geography and history: challenges to railway expansion

Brazilian geography also played a decisive role in limiting the railways. Much of the coast is surrounded by mountains, making connections between the interior and the ports difficult.

During the colonial period, Brazil was shaped as an exploration colony, which resulted in the construction of railways aimed at exporting natural resources rather than promoting internal integration.

At the end of the 19th century, the government of D. Pedro II promoted railway development with the support of industrialists such as Baron of Mauá and English investors.

Coffee-related railroads were profitable, but other regions of the country did not produce a sufficient volume of goods to justify significant expansions.

The role of highways

The advent of highways in the post-World War II period marked a turning point.

Trucks were more flexible and cheaper, better adapting to the needs of a country with great distances and limited infrastructure.

Juscelino Kubitschek's government symbolized this transition, with the inauguration of Brasília and the expansion of the automobile industry in ABC Paulista.

As Vaiano points out, there are conspiracy theories that suggest a plot between governments and automobile industries to scrap the railways.

However, the reality seems to be less dramatic: the rise of trucks was simply more advantageous for a country experiencing economic and industrial growth.

The future of railways

Today, most of Brazil's railways still serve the same purpose as they did in the colonial period: transport natural resources, such as iron ore and soybeans, to ports.

Companies like Vale continue to operate profitable rail lines, but these operations have little impact on passenger transport or regional integration.

To reverse this scenario, it is necessary not only to expand the railway network, but also to integrate it into the population's daily lives.

This requires massive investments in infrastructure, urban planning and public policies that prioritize public transport over individual transport.

Reestablishing the role of railways in Brazil is a monumental challenge, but also an opportunity to reduce logistical costs, mitigate environmental impacts and rescue a symbol of national identity.

Do you believe that Brazil should prioritize rail transport to promote economic and social development? Leave your opinion in the comments!

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Adriana Rodrigues
Adriana Rodrigues
13/01/2025 07:43

Good morning
I believe that today the government should only improve the Sao Paulo system as an example, expanding it today would only be a waste of public resources and another way of diverting money.

Elice Maria Cella
Elice Maria Cella
13/01/2025 14:42

Railways in Brazil are an urgent need. They improve the economy, reduce pollution and integrate populations.
It helps a lot in the transportation of goods, but even more so in the transportation of the population.
Urgent Railways in Brazil.

Manuel Medeiros
Manuel Medeiros
13/01/2025 15:44

Without a doubt, the railway would be a great investment, due to its low cost, safety and quantity transported.
Ideal for distributing our agricultural production across the continental dimensions of our country.

Alisson Ficher

Journalist graduated in 2017 and working in the field since 2015, with six years of experience in print magazines, stints on broadcast TV channels and over 12 online publications. Specialist in politics, jobs, economics, courses, among other topics. Professional registration: 0087134/SP. If you have any questions, want to report an error or suggest a topic on the topics covered on the site, please contact us by email: alisson.hficher@outlook.com. We do not accept resumes!

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