The Panama-David railway project, known for its size and ambition, continues to capture the attention of Panamanian citizens and the government. This project, one of the biggest stakes of the administration of President José Raúl Mulino, seeks to efficiently connect Panama City with David, in the province of Chiriquí, and its viability is being carefully analyzed.

José Ramón Icaza, Minister for Canal Affairs, announced that the project is under a weekly analysis by the National Secretariat of the Railway, along with engineer Henry Faarup. These studies are crucial to ensure that the project is feasible and sustainable. To date, several governments have shown interest in supporting Panama at this stage of study, which could lead to the signing of a “government-to-government agreement” in the near future to move forward with the initiative.

Minister Icaza stressed that a pre-feasibility study carried out by the People’s Republic of China, which was later reviewed by a Spanish firm, is being used as a reference. This initial study covers essential aspects such as the route, the economic impact, the demand for traffic, as well as the environmental and social impacts that a work of such magnitude would imply.

Last July, the Cabinet Council approved an Executive Decree that created the National Secretariat of the Railway. This new entity, attached to the Ministry of the Presidency, is responsible for carrying out all the studies, planning and execution necessary for the development and construction of the railway, in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Panama.

The feasibility study, carried out by China Railway Design Corporation, with the support of Panamanian companies in economic and geotechnical analyses, had no cost to the State, since it was part of a non-refundable cooperation agreement between Panama and China. According to the results, the Panama-David train would have more than 21 stops over 391 kilometers, crossing multiple provinces and reducing the transfer time to only 2 and a half hours for passengers, at a speed of 160 km/h. The estimated investment for this monumental project is 4.1 billion dollars.