In an age of cheap flights and long-distance buses, train travel in South America occupies a curious position: much of the continent's once-extensive rail network has been dismantled or allowed to deteriorate, while a handful of spectacular routes survive — some as tourist attractions in their own right, others as genuinely useful long-distance services. The journeys that remain are, in many cases, extraordinary: climbing through the Andes on gradients that defy engineering logic, crossing the world's highest plateau, or descending from cloud forest to jungle on narrow gauge lines built a century ago.

This guide covers the best and most memorable train journeys available in South America today.

1. Tren a las Nubes — Train to the Clouds, Argentina

Route: Salta → Viaducto La Polvorilla → Salta (return) Distance: Approximately 430 km return Duration: Approximately 15–16 hours return Altitude reached: 4,220 metres at the La Polvorilla viaduct

The Tren a las Nubes is one of the most famous railway journeys in South America and one of the highest in the world. The line was built between 1921 and 1948 to link Argentina's northwest to the Chilean Pacific coast — an engineering feat that required 21 tunnels, 13 viaducts, and 29 bridges on the climbing section alone.

The centrepiece is the La Polvorilla viaduct: a spectacular metal bridge spanning a mountain gorge at 4,220 metres altitude, built without a single rivet by the Italian engineer Richard Fontaine Maury. The train crosses the bridge at walking pace while passengers lean out to photograph the structure arching over the empty canyon below.

The journey departs from Salta at dawn and climbs through the subtropical quebrada, past colonial villages, through rock tunnels, and up a series of extraordinary switchbacks (zigzags) and spirals that allow the train to gain altitude where no straight line would work. By the time the train reaches the Puna (high-altitude plateau) the landscape has transformed completely: barren, windswept, and eerily beautiful.

Practical details:

  • The train operates seasonally (approximately April to November, with some summer services); check the official schedule at trenalasnubes.com.ar
  • Tickets should be booked in advance; the journey sells out quickly in peak months
  • Altitude sickness at 4,200 metres affects some passengers — a doctor travels on board and oxygen is available
  • The full return journey takes approximately 15–16 hours; a shorter version visits the viaduct without the full climb
  • Cost: approximately USD $70–90 for the tourist service

2. The Death Train — Bolivia

Route: Santa Cruz de la Sierra → Quijarro (Bolivian border) → Puerto Suárez Distance: Approximately 640 km Duration: Approximately 18–20 hours one-way Alternative name: Tren de la Muerte (Death Train — a nickname inherited from the dangerous jungle-clearing construction period, not current travel conditions)

The Death Train is Bolivia's most legendary journey: an overnight rail line through the humid lowland jungle and wetlands of eastern Bolivia, ending at the Bolivian–Brazilian border near the town of Corumbá (Brazil) — from which travellers continue into the Pantanal.

The train is operated by Ferroviaria Oriental and offers two classes: express (comfortable reclining seats, air conditioning) and popular (basic seats, ceiling fans). The express service is recommended for most travellers; both are perfectly functional.

The journey passes through extraordinary eastern Bolivian landscape: tropical forest, the edge of the Pantanal wetlands, small communities that depend on the train for connections to the outside world, and the kind of flat, endless horizon that is disorienting after time in the mountains. Wildlife sightings from the train window — capybaras, caimans, birds — are common.

The name "Death Train" occasionally alarms prospective passengers. The journey today is slow and occasionally delayed but not dangerous. The nickname came from the workers who died building the line through malarial jungle in the 1950s — a harsh historical legacy that has nothing to do with the current passenger experience.

Practical details:

  • Two departure points: Santa Cruz (main city) to Quijarro/Puerto Suárez
  • Express trains depart approximately twice per week (schedule changes regularly — check locally)
  • From Quijarro, cross the border to Corumbá (Brazil) by taxi for onward connections to the Pantanal
  • A classic South American overland route: Cusco → La Paz → Santa Cruz (Death Train) → Corumbá → Pantanal → São Paulo or Campo Grande
  • Cost: approximately $15–30 (popular) to $25–50 (express) one-way

3. Ferrocarril Central Andino — The Central Railway, Peru

Route: Lima → Huancayo (→ Huancavelica extension) Distance: Approximately 335 km (Lima to Huancayo) Duration: Approximately 12 hours (Lima to Huancayo) Altitude reached: 4,781 metres at Ticlio Pass — one of the highest railway passes in the world

The Central Railway of Peru is one of the greatest feats of railway engineering in history. Built between 1870 and 1908 under the American engineer Henry Meiggs and his successor Ernest Malinowski, the line climbs from sea level in Lima to 4,781 metres at the Ticlio Pass — a rise of nearly 5 kilometres in altitude over 335 kilometres of track. The engineering solutions required to achieve this include 69 tunnels, 58 bridges, 6 switchbacks (zigzags cut into the mountainside to allow the train to ascend without spiraling), and more than 20 zig-zag reversals.

The journey passes through extraordinary Andean scenery: the foggy coastal desert of Lima, through the growing coca-growing valleys, across soaring bridges above the Rímac River gorge, through the Andean mining towns of La Oroya and Huancayo, with snow-capped peaks visible above.

At 4,781 metres, altitude sickness is a serious concern. Oxygen is available on board. Many passengers experience symptoms; travelling in the descending direction (Huancayo to Lima) is easier physiologically.

Practical details:

  • The tourist service operates only a limited number of times per year (typically monthly from April to November) — check the official schedule at ferroviarioperu.com.pe
  • Day trips from Lima to a midpoint and back are occasionally offered
  • The Huancayo–Huancavelica section is a separate, narrower gauge line that continues the highland journey through one of Peru's most isolated regions
  • Cost: approximately $60–120 depending on class and service date

4. Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) — Peru

Route: Poroy (near Cusco) or Ollantaytambo → Aguas Calientes (for Machu Picchu) Distance: Approximately 112 km (Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes) Duration: Approximately 1.5 hours (Ollantaytambo) to 3.5 hours (Poroy) Operators: Peru Rail and Inca Rail

This is the most-used tourist railway in South America and forms an essential part of the Machu Picchu journey for the vast majority of visitors. While not as dramatic as the Central Railway, the descent from Ollantaytambo through the narrowing Urubamba Valley — watching the mountains close in and the vegetation transform from alpine grassland to dense cloud forest — is genuinely beautiful.

Two operators compete for the route: Peru Rail (older established operator, three service classes: Expedition/budget, Vistadome/mid-range with panoramic windows, Hiram Bingham/luxury) and Inca Rail (slightly newer, similar class structure). The Vistadome cars with their large panoramic windows are worth the small premium over the basic service.

The Hiram Bingham service on Peru Rail is a luxury full-day experience including brunch on the outbound journey, a guided Machu Picchu tour, and dinner with live music on the return. At approximately $400–500 round trip, it is extravagant but genuinely excellent.

Practical details:

  • Trains depart from Poroy (30 min from Cusco city centre by taxi — the original station), Ollantaytambo (more popular, skips the earliest part of the journey), and sometimes directly from Cusco's San Pedro station
  • Book well in advance: trains from Ollantaytambo during peak season (June–August) sell out weeks ahead
  • Return trains from Aguas Calientes depart throughout the afternoon and evening; the last train is essential for day-trippers to catch
  • Cost: approximately $45–70 (Expedition), $70–100 (Vistadome), $400–500 (Hiram Bingham) round trip from Ollantaytambo

5. Tren Crucero — Ecuador

Route: Quito → Guayaquil (or reverse) Distance: Approximately 450 km Duration: 4 days (luxury, all-inclusive)

The Tren Crucero is one of South America's great luxury rail experiences: a four-day, three-night fully guided and hosted journey along Ecuador's restored historic railway from the Andes to the Pacific coast (or the reverse). The route follows the famous Nariz del Diablo (Devil's Nose) — an extraordinary switchback section near Alausí where the train descends 800 metres in a few kilometres via a series of reversals on near-vertical cliff faces.

The Tren Crucero is operated by Ferrocarriles del Ecuador and includes all meals, accommodation at carefully chosen haciendas and hotels along the route, guided cultural excursions to indigenous markets, colonial towns, and local craft producers, and a genuine immersion in Ecuadorian Andean and coastal culture.

The Devil's Nose section is the dramatic engineering climax. The train reverses direction on a series of zigzag tracks cut into the face of a sheer mountain wall, and the view from the rear car as you look back across the valley is extraordinary.

Practical details:

  • Operates limited departures (approximately twice per month in peak season — check ferrocarrilesdelecuador.gob.ec)
  • A shorter version covering just the Devil's Nose section from Alausí (approximately 1.5 hours each way) is available as a day trip and is one of Ecuador's most popular tourist activities
  • Full four-day Tren Crucero cost: approximately $1,300–1,700 per person (all-inclusive)
  • Devil's Nose day trip from Alausí: approximately $35–45

6. Belmond Andean Explorer — Peru

Route: Cusco → Puno → Arequipa (or reverse, with various extensions) Distance: Varies by route Duration: 2–4 days (luxury sleeper train)

The Belmond Andean Explorer is South America's first luxury sleeper train, launched in 2017. It operates on the existing rail lines connecting Cusco, Puno (Lake Titicaca), Arequipa, and occasionally Machu Picchu, offering a floating hotel experience on rails through some of the most extraordinary Andean landscapes in Peru.

The train crosses the Altiplano at up to 4,300 metres altitude, passing through vast open puna with llama herds, flamingo lagoons, and distant snow-capped peaks. On-board amenities include dining cars with cuisine by Peruvian chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, a bar car, observation deck, and private cabins with en suite facilities.

The standard Cusco–Puno route takes approximately 10 hours (one night); extended routes add Arequipa or the Machu Picchu connection for multi-night journeys.

Practical details:

  • Operates seasonally (approximately April to November)
  • Booking required well in advance; this is a premium product with limited capacity
  • Cost: approximately $600–900 per person per night (all-inclusive, meals, and excursions)
  • Book through Belmond at belmond.com

7. Scenic Train in the Atacama — Chile

Route: Calama → Uyuni, Bolivia (via Antofagasta or Ollague) Note: This service is infrequent and infrastructure is limited — check current availability

A heritage freight and passenger line connects the Chilean Atacama Desert to the Bolivian altiplano via the border town of Ollagüe. This is not a tourist service in the conventional sense — it is a rarely-running local train that crosses one of the world's most remote and desolate landscapes. For rail enthusiasts and very adventurous travellers, the crossing from the Chilean desert to the Bolivian salt flat region by rail is an extraordinary experience.

Practical note: Check current service availability very carefully before planning around this route — services have been suspended and reinstated at various points. The Salar de Uyuni bus route from Chile is far more reliable.

Planning Tips for South American Train Travel

Book early: Tourist rail services in South America have limited capacity and sell out quickly in peak season. The Tren a las Nubes, Peru Rail to Machu Picchu, and the Tren Crucero's Devil's Nose section all require advance booking.

Altitude awareness: Several of these journeys reach extreme altitude. The Central Railway of Peru (4,781 metres), the Tren a las Nubes (4,220 metres), and the Andean Explorer (4,300+ metres) all carry altitude sickness risk. Take precautions: acclimatise beforehand, stay hydrated, avoid alcohol on the train, and consider altitude sickness medication.

Check schedules carefully: South American train services can change significantly between seasons and years. Always verify current operating dates directly with the operator before booking flights or hotels around a specific train departure.

Combine with the journey: The best South American rail experiences are those integrated into a broader itinerary. The Death Train connects Santa Cruz to the Pantanal; the Machu Picchu train is part of the full Cusco experience; the Tren Crucero covers the whole of Ecuador's Andean–coastal axis.

The Verdict

South America's rail journeys are not the fastest or most convenient way to travel. They are, in several cases, the most extraordinary. The Tren a las Nubes, the Central Railway of Peru, and the Death Train to Bolivia all offer something that no flight or bus can replicate: a slow, ground-level experience of the continent's most dramatic geography, at a pace that allows you to actually see, understand, and feel the landscape you are crossing.

For travellers with the time and inclination to travel slowly, South America's surviving rail network is one of the great hidden highlights of the continent.