On October 6, 2023, President López Obrador said that the Tren Maya from Palenque to Cancún “se podría inaugurar” (could be inaugurated) on December 15. The full 1,554 kilometers would be ready “a más tardar en febrero de 2024” (by February 2024 at the latest).
The first trip open to the public ran on December 16, 2023, with delays of up to four hours. The train scheduled for 11:00 left Cancún at 15:00. On February 29, 2024, two more stations opened. Ten stations were still under construction.