VINCI construction and Colas win €100m contract for Alameda–Melipilla railway expansion in Chile

A consortium of VINCI Construction, through its subsidiary ETF, and Colas Rail has won a €100 million contract to build the second stretch of the Alameda–Melipilla railway line in Chile. The project is commissioned by EFE (Empresa de Ferrocarriles del Estado), the public company managing the national rail network, and will link the capital Santiago with the south-west of the country.

The contract was awarded by Dragados-Besalco, the construction consortium in charge of the project. It will be split equally between ETF and Colas Rail and cover three years of work. This includes dismantling existing tracks, supplying materials such as rails, sleepers, ballast and overhead lines, and building and commissioning a new suburban line.

The second stretch spans 21.5 kilometres and will feature three new tracks with overhead lines. Two tracks will be dedicated to passenger services, while one will be reserved for freight. Work is scheduled to begin at the end of August 2025. Once operational, the line will accommodate 57 million passengers annually and reduce journey times by one hour.

“ETF has been operating in Chile since it built Santiago’s first metro line. Leveraging over 40 years’ experience working on Chile’s largest urban and national railway projects, ETF is currently helping to maintain all the metro lines in Santiago. This new suburban contract bolsters ETF’s commitment to develop low-carbon transport in Chile,” said Fabrice Guégan, CEO of ETF.

“After winning the call for tenders to maintain Santiago’s five metro lines at the beginning of the year, this new contract solidifies the Group’s roots and adds fresh momentum to the efforts of our teams in the Chilean rail market. Colas Rail has thereby positioned itself as a key player ahead of the major railway projects announced by local authorities in 2025,” explained Hervé Le Joliff, CEO of Colas Rail.