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A billion-dollar railway project promises to revolutionize transportation between São Paulo and Sorocaba, with modern trains, integration with the metro and CPTM, and potential to transform urban mobility, boosting regional and sustainable economic development.
An ambitious railway project could transform mobility in the São Paulo countryside and shorten the distance between major urban centers.
The government of the state of São Paulo began a public consultation on the new Intercity Train (TIC) West Axis on April 30.
The railway line promises to connect the capital of São Paulo to the city of Sorocaba in just one hour, representing a reduction of up to 50% in the current travel time by road.
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The plan is being structured through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and foresees a total investment of R$ 10 billion.
This amount will be applied to the modernization of existing stations, the construction of new stops, the purchase of modern trains, and the integration with the metro lines, CPTM, and TIC North Axis.
The concession for the line will be auctioned, and the expectation is that the winning company will be announced by the end of 2025.
Fast Line and Regional Service
The TIC West Axis will have approximately 100 kilometers in length and will consist of two types of service.
The first will be the Express, with fewer stops and a direct route between São Paulo and Sorocaba.
The second will be the Local, which will serve more stations along the route, offering more boarding and alighting options for users.
According to the Department of Partnerships in Investments, the new line could transport up to 50,000 passengers per day.
In addition to the urban mobility proposal, the project could also boost the economic development of cities located along the railway axis.
Parallel to the North TIC
Meanwhile, the TIC North Axis, which will connect São Paulo to Campinas, has faced legal obstacles since 2024.
A lawsuit questioned the legality of the contract signed between the state government and the consortium C2 Mobilidade, the winner of the concession.
Despite the controversies, the São Paulo Court of Justice overturned the injunction that prevented the signing of the contract, allowing the project to continue.
With this, the government reaffirms its bet on regional trains as a strategy for urban integration and logistical strengthening of the state.
The public hearing for the TIC West Axis is scheduled to take place in 2024, serving as a preliminary step before the publication of the bidding notice and the auction.
Federal Support in Sight
In a press conference held on May 5, Governor Tarcísio de Freitas stated that he will seek support from the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) to finance part of the project.
The priority will be the section between São Paulo and Sorocaba, which is part of the TIC West Axis.
According to him, the state government already maintains partnerships with the federal bank on important projects, such as Line 2-Green and Line 6-Orange of the Metro, in addition to Lines 8 and 9 of the CPTM and the Ring Road.
The intention now is to expand this model to include the railway sections of the TICs and also the Santos-Guarujá tunnel.
“We have brought some projects to the PAC precisely to enable this partnership with the bank.
This cooperation already exists in projects like Line 2-Green, Line 6-Orange, Lines 8 and 9, as well as the Ring Road.
Now we want to extend it to TIC Campinas-São Paulo, TIC Sorocaba-São Paulo, the Santos-Guarujá tunnel, and other projects.
When you work with credit operations via BNDES, these possibilities expand,” said the governor.
The TIC West Axis is already included in the BNDES Project Hub, which evaluates investment in the state’s railway network, signaling that cooperation can advance regardless of political differences between Lula (PT) and Tarcísio.
Mobility as a Pillar of Transformation
The Intercity Train proposal reflects a growing trend in urban mobility policies: the return of railway transport as an efficient, sustainable, and integrated solution.
With robust investments and defined timelines, the government of São Paulo bets on a modern railway network capable of meeting the demands for travel between the main cities in São Paulo.
Moreover, the integration with other modalities, such as the metro and intercity buses, could make travel smoother and less dependent on individual vehicles.
The success of the TIC West Axis could serve as a model for other regions of Brazil that face similar mobility, congestion, and poor infrastructure issues.
What Lies Ahead
With the launch of the public consultation and the hearing scheduled for 2024, the project begins to take shape.
By the end of 2025, the expectation is that the concession will be finalized and the first steps for the execution of the project will be taken.
If all the processes occur as planned, the trains could start operating by the end of this decade, redefining the relationship between São Paulo and the countryside.
The project is also aligned with sustainability goals, as railway transport consumes less energy and emits fewer pollutants per passenger than traditional road transport.
The expectation is that the railway network will gain new momentum and once again become one of the pillars of national infrastructure.
And you, would you like to see more trains connecting Brazilian cities and reducing travel time?
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