The Aerometro is a cable car between Guatemala City and Mixco, not a train; construction began January 5, 2026 (AGN). Works started on January 5, 2026 in zona 9, near Plaza España. AGN’s construction report describes it as high-capacity public transport that will carry up to 374,000 people a day, built with 100% private capital. As of October 21, 2026, none of the official-news items read gives a fare or an opening date. The route and hours below come from the regulation published in January 2021, so they describe the 2021 plan. For the State’s rail project, see Is there a train in Guatemala?; for transit you can use today, see Transmetro.
Quick summary
- Status: construction began January 5, 2026 (AGN). No opening date published.
- Fare: no official fare published.
- Who is behind it: the Municipality of Guatemala. The builder named in the environmental licence is Cablevía de Guatemala, S.A. The President said in June 2026 that it is not a central-government project.
- Capacity stated: up to 374,000 people a day between Guatemala City and Mixco; gondolas of up to 12 passengers (2021 regulation).
- Hours in the 2021 regulation: around the clock in two shifts, 5:00 to 19:59 and 20:00 to 4:59.
- Route in the 2021 plan: two lines from El Trébol, to zona 9 and to Molino de las Flores in Mixco, plus a transfer hub for buses to the west.
Timeline from official sources
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| January 29, 2021 | The Reglamento del Sistema Aerometro Fase I is published in the official gazette | AGN; Diario de Centro America |
| August 23, 2024 | The Guatemala City council approves the concession, with three votes against: 25 years to the private sector, investment of Q1,216,448,000; approval of the intermunicipal agreement by Mixco’s council still pending | Diario de Centro America |
| August 2025 | The Ministry of Environment (MARN) grants the environmental permit after the project corrected technical weaknesses (area of influence, tree removal, wastewater treatment) | AGN, January 6, 2026 |
| January 5, 2026 | Construction starts on 10, 11, 12 and 14 calle, between 7 and 5 avenida, zona 9, near Plaza España, with temporary lane closures | AGN, January 5, 2026 |
| June 5, 2026 | INGUAT says it has no link with the Municipality to extend the AeroMetro to La Antigua Guatemala | Diario de Centro America |
| June 23, 2026 | The President says the Aerometro is the Municipality’s project, not the central government’s | AGN, June 23, 2026 |
The concession term differs between the two periods. The January 2021 AGN report said the project had been concessioned for 20 years; the council approval of August 2024 reported by Diario de Centro America was for 25 years.
The 2021 plan: lines, hub and hours
These details come from AGN’s and Diario de Centro America’s reports of January 29, 2021 on the Reglamento del Sistema Aerometro Fase I. The later items read do not publish an updated route.
| Element | As described in January 2021 |
|---|---|
| Line I | From the El Trébol bridge to 12 calle between 5a and 7a avenidas, zona 9, passing along bulevar Liberación |
| Line II | From El Trébol to Molino de las Flores, zona 2 of Mixco |
| Transfer hub | “centra occidente”, in Mixco, near the closest Aerometro station, as the terminus for extraurbano buses travelling to the west of the country |
| Gondola capacity | Up to 12 passengers |
| Service | Uninterrupted, in 2 shifts: day 5:00-19:59, night 20:00-4:59 the next day |
| Length and stations | 8.9 km and 10 stations (the Municipality’s description: AGN dates it to 2019; Diario de Centro America cites it undated) |
| Connections | With the Transmetro trunk system and alternative transport such as bicycles (2019 description) |
The regulation splits the concession into a construction stage (studies, design and engineering through to building and installation) and an operation stage (running the service, maintenance and improvements, then the end and settlement of the concession).
What the works involve
The January 2026 reports add these figures:
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| People carried | Up to 374,000 a day between Guatemala City and Mixco | AGN, January 5, 2026 |
| Travel time on the route | Cut by up to 75% (as stated in the report) | AGN, January 5, 2026 |
| Jobs | More than 2,000 direct jobs during construction; about 500 direct and 2,500 indirect in operation | AGN, January 5, 2026 |
| Investment | Around Q1,216 million, 100% private capital | AGN, January 5, 2026 |
| Trees removed | 721 | MARN, via AGN, January 6, 2026 |
| Trees to plant | At least 2,500, in three phases: 725 (510 at the zona 3 landfill and 215 along the side sections), then 932, then 912 | MARN, via AGN, January 6, 2026 |
| Builder named in the licence | Cablevía de Guatemala, S.A. | MARN, via AGN, January 6, 2026 |
AGN’s construction report calls it the first urban mass public transport system by aerial cable in Central America.
What is not published
- Fare: no official fare in any item read.
- Opening date: none.
- Current station names: the items read give no station list; the 2019 figure is 10 stations.
- Timetable after 2021: the two-shift hours come from the 2021 regulation only.
For getting around the city today, see transport in Guatemala.
Sources
- AGN, Inician trabajos de construcción del AeroMetro, January 5, 2026.
- AGN, Ministerio de Ambiente fija compensación de 2 mil 500 árboles por construcción del AeroMetro, January 6, 2026.
- AGN, Publican reglamento para implementación del Aerometro en la ciudad capital, January 29, 2021.
- AGN, Presidente reitera que el proyecto del Metro Riel es una prioridad de su Gobierno, June 23, 2026.
- Diario de Centro America, Aerometro tendrá conectividad con Transmetro, January 29, 2021.
- Diario de Centro America, A un paso de concretar trámites para el aerómetro, August 23, 2024.
- Diario de Centro America, Niegan vínculo con la comuna, June 5, 2026.
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