The National Land Transportation Agency (ANTT) approved the opening of a Public Hearing for the new concession of the Malha Sul railway system, which connects São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. The project comprises three corridors that, combined, account for 4,248.45 kilometers of railway network and has planned investments of R$ 4.8 billion.
Since the privatization of the former R.F.F.S.A., Rede Ferroviária Federal S.A., the current contract, which is slated to end in 2027, is operated by Rumo Malha Sul S.A. The approval of the opening of the Public Hearing launches a phase of public participation that precedes the publication of the tender notice and the future auction of the three railway corridors.
Participation
With this decision, society, economic agents and other interested parties may contribute with suggestions and input to the preliminary versions of the tender notice and concession contract. The deadline for submitting contributions is from June 15 to August 10, 2026.
The in-person sessions will take place in Brasília (DF), on July 16, in hybrid format (in-person and virtual), with live streaming on ANTT's YouTube channel; Curitiba (PR), on July 27; Porto Alegre (RS), on July 29; and Florianópolis (SC), on July 31.
"Infrastructure needs to work in practice and deliver results that users can perceive. The Public Hearing is the moment when society contributes so that this project reaches the auction with the best possible design," said ANTT's Director-General, Guilherme Theo Sampaio.
Corridors
The railway network comprises the corridors: Paraná-Santa Catarina, the Rio Grande Corridor and the Mercosul Corridor. Each corridor has a different profile, extension and functions within the system.
The Paraná-Santa Catarina Corridor has 1,502.26 km and accounts for 78% of Malha Sul's cargo, with a strong export orientation for grains, sugar, cellulose and fertilizers. It connects Maringá and Ourinhos to Apucarana, continuing to the ports of Paranaguá and São Francisco do Sul. It also passes through Guarapuava, Rio Branco do Sul and Curitiba, and is considered the structuring axis of the project.
The Rio Grande Corridor, with 880.3 km, connects Cruz Alta to Cacequi, with a branch to Santiago, and continues to the Port of Rio Grande. It accounts for 16.6% of Malha Sul's throughput, predominantly grains, fertilizers and fuels.
The Mercosul Corridor provides interstate connection from Iperó, in São Paulo, to Ponta Grossa over 1,865.78 km. The corridor begins again in Mafra, passing through Passo Fundo, Porto Alegre, Santa Maria, Cacequi to Uruguaiana on the border with Argentina.
Investments
The three corridors will be auctioned together, in a single tender with three lots. The approved model provides that the Paraná-Santa Catarina Corridor, which is the most financially robust, will transfer resources to the others through cross-investments: R$ 1.47 billion to the Rio Grande Corridor and R$ 3.46 billion to the Mercosul Corridor. This arrangement ensures the viability of the whole system without relying on direct Treasury contributions as the primary source.
The total investment planned over the 30-year concession period is R$ 14.4 billion in CAPEX and R$ 38.6 billion in OPEX.
