The 87.6km-long double-track line will be constructed for 160km/h operation, with services running at 15-minute intervals and a journey time of 51 minutes between the two cities.
The project will involve the construction of four new stations, including Água Branca, São Roque, Brigadeiro Tobias, and Sorocaba. Água Branca station will be served not only by regional trains but also by Metro Line 6, which is due to open in 2020, CPTM Line 8 commuter trains, and planned Jundiaí Express regional services.
Tendering for the Reias 4bn ($US 1.8bn) project is due to begin in 2016, and the scheme will be implemented as a PPP with a 35-year operating and maintenance concession. The line is expected to carry around 20,000 passengers per day.
The state government of São Paulo plans to invest nearly Reais 18.5bn ($US 8.2bn) in the construction of a 432km regional network, which will also connect the city with Santos on the Atlantic coast, and Jundiaí to the north. Total daily ridership is estimated to be around 250,000 passengers and the government says fares will be competitive with buses.
