Ever tried a Train (longer distance) ride in Latin America ? how are the trains there ?

Question

Ever tried a Train (longer distance) ride in Latin America ? how are the trains there ?

Answer 1

There are wonderful trains in Latin America and some of them are even nicer than in the US! I have been from Santiago to Puerto Montt in train and let me tell you the quality of the seats was amazing, reclinable all the way down and the service abroad was excellent. Chile has great trains going from Punta Arenas to Antofagasta. Their service is superb. There is also the Peru Rail train going to Machu Picchu which is very nice, clean, secure and compared to a 3 or 4 star hotel quality and then there is the Hiram Bingham train from Cuzco to Puno (going to Machu Picchu also) which costs 500 dollars the ticket as it is an Orient express train with a 5 star hotel sevrice on board. In Buenos Aires I've travelled inside the city in the intercity train (tren interurbano) and also in tren de la costa and both were very good.

You wont have a service like Amtrac which will go through all Latin America but overall the train sevrices are ok. The tren de las nubes whch another answerer says its really amazing, never have been but would love to go one day.

Answer 2

I took a train from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Mar del Plata, Argentina. It is about a 5 hour ride. It was the best thing I've ever done but it wasn't horrible. It was decent and the seats reclined and everything.

Answer 3

Generally speaking, the trains in Chile and Argentina will be more modern and comfortable and everywhere else, with the exception of the aforementioned tourist trains to Macchu Picchu, will be more of the third world type...no AC, ect. However, if you have a sense of adventure, this can be one of the highlights of your trip. I know of this one train in Ecuador where the passengers ride on the top of the train, which crosses several bridges in the Andes over a thousand feet above the river! Now, depending on the kind of person you are, this may be your worst nightmare or (like me) may be completely awesome!

Answer 4

I took a train from Puerto Quijarro, Bolivia (border to Brazil) to Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 14 hours ride if you are lucky. Someone sat on my seat´s arm. No food or drinks for sale. Beautiful views, but mosquitoes repellent is definitely needed. Big adventure, but enjoyable.

Answer 5

Never tried them, but have talked to plenty of people who have. The trains there are not as nice as in the US (forget A/C, for instance), but they are decent. One of the most mentioned train rides in Latin America is the "Tren de las Nubes" (Train in the Clouds), a 15 hour ride connecting the Argentine Northwest to Chile and Bolivia.