Passenger Trains May Resume Service Between Ponta Grossa, Carambeí and Castro

The possibility of reactivation of the railway between Ponta Grossa, Carambeí and Castro returned to the debate in the Campos Gerais. A proposal presented in the process of discussion of the new concession of the South Mesh provides for studies to recover the railway infrastructure and allow, in the future, the circulation of regional passenger trains and the implementation of tourist routes.

The initiative is related to Audiência Pública no 11/2026 of the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT), which gathers suggestions for the reorganization of the rail network of the Southern Region of Brazil.

According to the information released on the contributions identified by the protocols AP112026-147 and AP112026-148, the proposal intends to take advantage of existing railway sections and evaluate their use for the transport of passengers, the valorization of historical heritage and regional economic development.

Studies can be carried out in up to two years

One of the measures suggested is that the future railway concessionaire offer technical and institutional support for the development of the recovery project.

The planned actions include engineering surveys, drafting of projects, evaluation of safety conditions and identification of the necessary adaptations on railroad tracks, stations and signalling systems.

The proposal suggests a period of up to 24 months, counted from the possible signing of the new concession, for the preparation of the studies. This period, however, does not yet represent a timetable approved by the Federal Government.

The possibility of cooperation between the concessionaire, municipalities and other entities interested in the operation of the services is also envisaged.

Rail tourism can boost the Campos Gerais

In addition to regular passenger transport, the recovery of the railway could open up new opportunities for regional tourism.

Among the possibilities discussed are sightseeing tours by train, cultural activities related to railway history and railbike experiences, a modality that uses equipment adapted to travel on tracks.

Ponta Grossa, Carambeí and Castro have an important historical link with the railway development of the Paraná. The resumption of part of this infrastructure could contribute to the creation of integrated tourist routes, bringing visitors to different attractions of the Campos Gerais.

Another objective of the initiative is to prevent the deterioration of railway structures that currently have little use or are deactivated.

The Federal Government has already signed an agreement involving railways in the region

The discussion comes months after an institutional advance related to the railway heritage of Campos Gerais.

On June 30, 2026, the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (DNIT) participated in the signing of technical cooperation agreements that enable the transfer of railway sections to the municipalities of Ponta Grossa, Carambeí, Castro, Arapoti, Jaguariaíva, ZQX014QZnia and Piraí do Sul.

The information was officially released by the federal body on July 1.

The agreements aim to allow the exploitation of railway assets without operation in public interest initiatives, including urban, tourist and historical preservation projects.

Although this measure does not represent the authorization for the return of passenger trains, it demonstrates that the use of deactivated railway structures is already part of the institutional discussions involving the municipalities.

Who would finance the recovery of the rails?

The proposal under consideration establishes a possible separation of responsibilities.

The future concessionaire would be mainly in charge of technical support and the elaboration of studies, while the investments to recover the rails, acquire equipment and make the operation of the trains possible would depend on other sources of financing.

Among the possibilities pointed out are state, federal, municipal resources, parliamentary amendments and private investments linked to the tourism sector.

So far, there is no defined budget or guarantee of resources for the implementation of the initiative.

Reactivation of the railway still depends on approval

Despite the expectations surrounding the possible resumption of regional rail transport, the project is still under discussion.

According to the information released on the processing, the Ministry of Transport forwarded contributions for technical evaluation on November 3, 2026. The references presented indicate internal analysis deadlines during the month of November.

ANTT should evaluate the suggestions before any incorporation into the documents of the new concession.

Therefore, there is not yet an official date for the start of the works or for the return of the passenger trains between Ponta Grossa, Carambeí and Castro.

The proposal, however, puts rail transport back at the centre of the debate on mobility, historical preservation and tourism in the Campos Gerais.