Argentina has opened a 50-year concession tender for the Belgrano Cargas freight railway. The concession covers track and adjacent land on the Belgrano, San Martin and Urquiza lines.1 Bids are due by 11 November 2026, and the question period closes on 28 October.1
The mandatory works programme is estimated at about US$800 million, and total investment tied to the concession is near US$1 billion.1 Bidders that spend at least US$200 million can access RIGI tax incentives.1
The corridor runs through the copper and lithium provinces of Salta, San Juan and Catamarca and is seen as critical export plumbing.1 The network currently moves about 7.5 million tonnes of cargo a year.1 San Juan's Taca Taca project, certified at US$5.2 billion, would need roughly 182 kilometres of rail to reach Chile.1
The report names one possible bidder. Grupo Mexico Transportes has signalled it could invest up to US$3 billion if it wins.1