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After decades of budget cuts and even the closure of some railway lines, trains are making an unexpected comeback in 2023, including in Latin America, a subcontinent where reviving this mode of transport was considered a lost cause.
Except it’s incredibly romantic, as it is reminiscent of times gone byThe railway often crosses beautiful landscapes normally inaccessible to private vehicles much saferas traffic jams and accidents are obviously not major events.
Although train travel in Latin America, or even more broadly, throughout the Americas, is not yet as popular as in Europe, it is becoming increasingly popular. more popular among visitors call for more unique experiences.
If you are one of them, and you too are enamored with trains, then here they are four of the most exciting train journeys you can embark on a journey through Latin America this winter:
The Brazilian Colonial Railroad
One of the lesser known entries on the list, that of Brazil Trem da Vale connects the historic towns of Ouro Preto and Mariana, some of the oldest European settlements not only in the country, but in all of South America.
Although the steam locomotive was present in the area as early as the 19th century, it fell into disuse as automobiles were introduced and Brazil modernized itself, only being relaunched in 2006 in an attempt to revive the historic railway.
At the time it proved crucial for the transport of passengers and goods between the two settlements, which were only 13 kilometers apart, but now it functions mainly as a tourist train, deliberately taking the long route through the deep valleys bordered by the towering jagged peaks of Minas Gerais.
The locomotive runs for a total of one hour, slowly rattling along the tracks for some of the best views of Brazil’s untouched nature, making this route a favorite among photographers and honeymooners hoping to get a taste of what traveling used to feel like.
A seat in the conventional carriage costs only R$70, or US$13.91 for the returnwhile a round-trip ride on the panoramic carriage costs only $5 more.
The train runs all year round from Wednesday to Sunday, between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM, and tickets can be purchased directly at the station up to 10 minutes before departure.
Ouro Preto itself does one of the most beautiful cities of America and one of Brazil’s most famous postcards. A whitewashed city full of cobbled streets, historic Baroque churches and Portuguese colonial mansions, it was the center of Brazil’s slave trade and gold mining.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is much more scenic and safer than big cities like Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo, and because it is surrounded by green mountains, it offers easy access to hiking trails, protected reserves and majestic waterfalls.
His even smaller sister, Mariana, is just as picturesquefounded at the end of the 17th century.
It retains all the features of a Portuguese Baroque colonial settlement, with narrow alleys lined by two-storey buildings with their colorful shutters and ornate church facades.
Fortunately for Americans, they can fly to this rural part of Brazil again, as Azul Airlines now offers non-stop flights to Belo Horizonte, the state capital, just under a two-hour drive from Ouro Preto.
Heritage Train of the Colombian Capital Region
Currently the only passenger train in Colombia, the Tren Turistico de la Sabana helps tourists commute from the bustling metropolis of Bogota to the small colonial-era town of Zipaquira, 42 kilometers north in the heart of the Cundimarca district.
At the height of the Spanish Empire, the railway was used to transport salt and minerals from Zipaquira to the Colombian capital.
Needless to say, exploration has been put on hold, but if you fancy some real cultural immersion, you can still take the heritage train.
The bus may be a lot faster, completing the journey in less than two hours, but it certainly won’t be as scenic as the train, which departs from the architectural gem that is Bogota’s Sabana Station and travels through a lush green Colombian hinterland before calling at Zipaquira 2h45 later.
From the window you slowly cross vast open fields and small Colombian fields pueblos unaffected by the overdevelopment and rising crime rates that have plagued Bogota in recent years, as you’re serenaded by a brass band playing live traditional music – and if you’re hungry you can always grab a bite from one of the food carts as they pass by.
Passengers between 13 and 59 years old will be charged only COP$70,000 for a return ticket departure and return to Bogota. This equates to approximately $17.20, although rates may increase.
For up-to-date information and timetables, tourists are advised to check the official web page.
Arriving in Zipaquira you will find it a small town with a central square from which smaller, stone-laden streets wind. Although Zipaquira is already charming, it is best known for its monumental Salt Cathedral, an underground temple built in a salt mine.
The salt deposits were formed 250 million years ago and the sediments still cover the walls and walkways as you descend deeper into the sanctuary. It’s a fascinating attraction that tourists exploring Colombia should visit at least once, with tickets costing just COP$98,000, or about $24 at the current exchange rate.
Tren Crucero from Ecuador
Ecuador is one of the trendiest tourist destinations this year and has captured the attention of solo explorers and backpackers, and even digital nomads who stay longer due to its natural wealth and slow-paced lifestyle.
However, a little known fact among them is that Ecuador also has a passenger train, which connects the capital (Quito) with Guayaquil, the country’s second largest city, and the gateway to the Ecuadorian Pacific Ocean – but it is Certainly not for those in a hurry.
The Tren Crucero takes the most scenic route over Ecuador’s Andean peaks, all the way southwest to the coast of Guayaquil, completing the journey in no less than four days.
Of course, if you have a valid ‘full boarding’ ticket, you can get on and off.
That’s because tThe train has no sleeping cabinsand passengers must instead make stops in small towns along the way, where they get to see a more rural side of Ecuador, as well as off-the-beaten-path towns that visitors settling in busy Quito normally can’t reach as easily.
This includes Balbanerahome to one of the oldest churches in Ecuador, built as early as 1534, and Alausiwhere you descend into the Andean valleys before reaching the coast, dotted with more brightly colored colonial towns.
The train itself has a capacity of 54 passengers and departs on select dates each season, and it is divided into 4 categoriesreminiscent of different architectural periods: the Baroque, the Neoclassical, the Spanish/Andean style and the panoramic carriage in classical style.
Overnight stays at each of the stops can be purchased in advance together with the train ticket, with a one-way ticket in Luxury Class, combined with a single room in centrally located hotels, from US$2,082.
The ‘Orient Express’ of Ecuador, the luxury train not exactly affordable by South American standards, but it’s an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience that’s worth the extra money.
The Mexican Mayan Train
The only train route on this list that is not yet completed will be launched soon December 15 – The Mexican Mayan Train will connect all the major tourist attractions around the Yucatán Peninsula, and so many if five Mexican states.
The busiest route, however, will be the Cancun-Tulum line, which connects Quintana Roo’s two best resorts. This line is expected to be completed in February 2024.
The train departs from the Cancun terminal and travels along tracks bordered by the clear blue Caribbean Sea until it reaches Tulum.
It is one of the most historically charged cities in Mexico, founded by the Mayans before the arrival of European settlers, and is still home to some of the best preserved pre-colonial structures found anywhere in the country.
These can be seen around the archaeological zone of Tulum, with the monumental Castillo, a fortress perched on a cliff overlooking the turquoise waters, a good example of late Mayan architecture.
Prices for the Mayan Train have not yet been announced, nor are there any timetables, but it will be one of the most affordable, and safest modes of transportation in wider LatAm, where tourists from Cancun, the number one beach destination for Americans, have easy connections to cultural attractions further afield.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
