Globo News announced that only in 2009 will the Ministry of Transportation open the bidding for companies interested in constructing a bullet train railway between the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. (In Portuguese, this bidding process is known as a leilão de licença. Leilão also means auction). A viability plan will be released this month, and the actual construction of the railway is estimated to take five years.
The venture will cost around R$11 billion, mostly from private funding. The train will run at 285 kilometers per hour, making the journey between the two cities just under an hour and a half. The estimated ticket cost will range between R$80 and R$140. Currently, the available options for transportation between Rio and São Paulo are interstate coach buses and air travel.
The project forms part of the Brazilian government’s plan to revamp infrastructure throughout the country in time for the World Cup in 2014.
Comments:
Seph:
Ótimo! Sou feliz porque Brasil precisa mais transportação na pais. This is great but I heard that the South Koreans are interested. Well, I’m living in Korea at the moment, currently teaching English and I’ve been in Seoul for a year. I can tell you this, “the Koreans are not specialists in bullet trains!” The French built their KTX from Seoul to Busan. I would like to see the French or Germans help the Brazilians with their bullet train, as Asia has no offer of expertise. However, Japan, may be the brightest shining star in Asia as it relates to speed train technology. I’ve ridden the Shinkensan and it’s outstanding. I’ve ridden the KTX in Korea and it was so so. The Shinkansen was a smooth ride. Vai Brasil e parabens!