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With R$ 5 billion invested and tracks advancing 1 kilometer per day, the largest railway under construction in Brazil has already completed 73% of the 743 kilometers that will connect the heart of agribusiness to the export ports
While Brazil has been debating for decades whether to build a high-speed train between São Paulo and Rio, a railway in Mato Grosso spanning 743 kilometers is already 73% complete — and the tracks are advancing 1 kilometer per day.
The Mato Grosso Railway (FTM), operated by Rumo Logística, is currently the largest railway project underway in the country. Additionally, the project has received R$ 5 billion in investments and is expected to start operating the first section of 162 kilometers between July and September 2026.
In practice, this railway in Mato Grosso will connect the largest soybean and corn-producing state in Brazil directly to the export corridors — eliminating thousands of trucks from the highways.
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The numbers of the largest railway under construction in Brazil
The scale of the project is impressive. For example, the 743 kilometers of extension is equivalent to the distance between São Paulo and Curitiba — all in a straight line cutting through the Mato Grosso savanna.
- Total length: 743 km (starting from Rondonópolis towards BR-070)
- Investment: R$ 5 billion (R$ 2 billion already applied + R$ 1 billion in 2026)
- Physical execution: 73% completed
- Rate of advancement: 1 kilometer of tracks per day
- First operational section: 162 km (forecast July-Sept 2026)
- Start of construction: 2022
- Operator: Rumo Logística
Thus, the railway in Mato Grosso has become the number one priority for the country’s railway infrastructure — ahead of FICO and Ferrogrão, which are still in early stages.
Why agribusiness depends on the railway in Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso is the largest producer of soybeans, corn, and cotton in Brazil. However, about 60% of the production still leaves the state via highways — the most expensive and inefficient mode for heavy long-distance cargo.
Consequently, freight costs erode the margins of producers and increase the final product price in the international market.
The railway in Mato Grosso directly addresses this problem. By connecting Rondonópolis — where there is already a mega railway terminal — to the new sections towards BR-070, the FTM paves the way for millions of tons of grains to reach ports like Santos, Paranaguá, and the Northern Arc by rail.
To give an idea of the impact, five municipalities around Gaúcha do Norte, in the center of the state, together produce 5 million tons of grains per year. Currently, all of this is transported by truck. With the railway, costs decrease and competitiveness increases.
This scenario contrasts with other countries that heavily invest in infrastructure, such as India, which is paving 1,350 kilometers of highway with 8 lanes to accelerate its economy.
What the CEO of Rumo says about the railway in Mato Grosso
Pedro Palma, CEO of Rumo Logística, confirmed that the first operational section of the railway is expected to open by September 2026.
In his words: “The railway in Mato Grosso will have its first operation by September of this year. We had invested R$ 2 billion in this new railway. This year, now 2026, we will invest an additional R$ 1 billion, closing an investment package for this first section of 162 km of approximately R$ 5 billion.”
Furthermore, Rumo plans to invest up to R$ 6.1 billion in 2026 across its operations, with the FTM as the central piece of its expansion strategy.
The BNDES has already approved R$ 2 billion specifically for the construction of the 162 kilometers of the first section, according to official BNDES report.
FICO — the other railway that will meet the FTM
The FTM is not alone. In addition to it, the Midwest Integration Railway (FICO) is advancing in parallel with an extension of 888 kilometers, connecting Mara Rosa (GO) to Lucas do Rio Verde (MT).
However, the FICO is at a much less advanced stage — only 22.5% of overall physical execution, with the section executed by Vale reaching 36%.
The construction site of the FICO in Água Boa (MT) is expected to open in the second half of 2026. However, the delivery of the first section of 383 kilometers is only scheduled for 2027.
At the same time, Vale is mobilizing around 1,000 workers for the construction, including the bridge over the Rio das Mortes in Cocalinho.
When the FTM and FICO are completed, they will form a continuous railway corridor from the North-South Railway (GO) to the interior of Mato Grosso — transforming the logistics of Brazilian agribusiness.
Ferrogrão: the missing piece in the puzzle
In addition to the FTM and FICO, there is also the Ferrogrão — a railway project from Sinop (MT) to Miritituba (PA) that would cut through 933 kilometers of the heart of the Amazon.
However, the Ferrogrão faces environmental and regulatory obstacles that have stalled the project for years. Similarly, land ownership issues and consultations with indigenous communities indefinitely delay construction.
While Ferrogrão waits, the railway in Mato Grosso advances 1 kilometer per day. In comparison, the California high-speed train took 15 years to complete 130 kilometers.
For rural producers in Mato Grosso, the question is not whether the railway will change the state’s economy — but whether the other railway projects will be able to keep pace with the FTM before the next record harvest requires even more wagons.
What could delay the railway in Mato Grosso — and what has already delayed it
Despite the 73% progress, the railway in Mato Grosso is not free from risks.
According to CNN Brasil, regulatory discussions, environmental licensing, and operational models are still underway for the subsequent sections.
Moreover, the complete extension of 743 kilometers may take until 2030 to be finished. In other words, what will operate in September 2026 are the first 162 kilometers — important, but still 22% of the total project.
Even so, for a country that historically abandons railway projects halfway, seeing tracks advancing 1 kilometer per day in the Mato Grosso savanna is something that hasn’t happened in decades.
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