Train shall connect São Paulo and Jundiaí in 25 minutes

The current 1 hour and 20 minutes to travel by train from São Paulo to Jundiaí shall be slashed to 25 minutes with the creation of an express line. This link, announced yesterday by State Governor Geraldo Alckmin, of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), shall connect Jundiaí Station and Água Branca Station of the São Paulo Commuter Train Company (Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos – CPTM). Completion of the work has been promised for 2015. The total investment of R$ 2 billion (US$ 1.26 billion) would come from a Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

The fare has not yet been decided but, according to the Secretary for Metropolitan Transport, Jurandir Fernandes, it should compete with the current bus fare over the same stretch, which is between R$ 12 (US$ 7.55) and R$ 15 (US$ 9.44).

The Jundiaí Express shall not be a replacement for the current link provided by the Ruby – track 7 of the CPTM between Jundiaí and Luz (with a change in Francisco Morato), but rather an alternative to the car trip to the Capital which now takes about an hour, including traffic. The train could remove up to 40% of the cars along this route, says Mr. Fernandes.

The chartered buses that now go to São Paulo shall have their route shortened. We want to build a parking area so that all the charter buses that leave the Greater Jundiaí metropolitan area take the passengers to the train, instead of going to Barra Funda.

Água Branca, in the West Zone of the city, was chosen as the terminus because, according to Government projects, this shall be the meeting point of the Ruby – track 7 and the Diamond – track 8 of the CPTM and also the future Orange – track 6 of the São Paulo Metro with this express train.

These measures were taken as part of the creation of the Greater Jundiaí Urban Area (Aglomeração Urbana de Jundiaí), comprising the municipalities of Cabreúva, Campo Limpo Paulista, Itupeva, Jarinu, Louveira, Várzea Paulista and Jundiaí. Among the changes implemented, the intermunicipal bus lines of this region are now the responsibility of the Metropolitan Urban Transport Company (Empresa Metropolitana de Transportes Urbanos – EMTU) – currently this responsibility rests with the Roads Department (Departamento de Estradas de Rodagem – DER).