Residents in the southern metropolitan area, particularly in neighborhoods near the Guadalajara-Chapala highway, are frustrated with the Jalisco government’s revised plans for the city’s so-called fifth Tren Ligero line.
During his campaign for governor, Pablo Lemus promised that the new light rail line would be a key infrastructure project of his administration. However, after being elected, he announced that instead of a traditional rail line with carriages—like the city’s existing four Tren Ligero lines—the fifth line would actually be an Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit system. This Chinese-developed system features rail-less, rubber-tired, electronically guided vehicles, operating much like a tram.
Later, after taking office, Lemus suggested the project might instead become a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, similar to those used on the Guadalajara ring road (Peribús) and Calzada Independencia (Macrobús).
These changes have angered local residents, who have begun placing protest banners on pedestrian bridges along the highway between the Periférico and Guadalajara Airport, demanding the government stick to its original plan for a proper rail line. They argue that trains are faster, more efficient, and cause fewer road conflicts compared to buses or trams.
Lemus has defended the changes, citing time constraints ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Instead of a single rail line, the revised plan now includes three separate electromobility or BRT routes:
• Airport to Parque Agua Azul – 25.7 kilometers, 24 stations.
• Airport to Akron Stadium – 33.4 kilometers, 28 stations.
• Parque Agua Azul to Expo Guadalajara – 6.2 kilometers, 23 stations.
Additionally, Lemus promised several new feeder routes connecting to these three trunk lines, including routes from Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos and El Salto. He estimates that 90,000 people will benefit from the new transportation network.