Imagine sitting in the open-air observation deck, sipping Pisco Sours, as your luxury train winds its way through the Andes on one of the world’s highest rail routes. That is the experience of the Belmond Andean Explorer, the finest of Peru train journeys. There are numerous options for exploring Peru by rail, and they offer an excellent, perhaps preferable means to see more of such a beautiful country. You can backpack, and you can fly, but seeing Peru by train offers a deeper glimpse into the culture, a means for those who wish to savor the experience.
While living in Peru for two and a half years we did not own a car. Traffic in Lima is chaotic and my husband could walk to work from our apartment and, armed with my trustee “granny trolley” I could walk to several supermarkets. Taxis are cheap and living in the gastronomic capital of the world we were within a short distance from dozens of amazing restaurants.
However we did not want to just stay in Lima. You can fly to many fascinating destinations from Lima but we wanted a more in-depth experience. Backpackers without the backpacks! So trains offered exactly what we wanted.
Traveling in Peru does not need to be all backpacks and hiking boots. In our time living in Peru we have experienced three unique train trips:
- Perurail Vistadome from the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu,
- Lima to Huancayo on the Ferrocarril Central Andino, the second highest rail trip in the world,
- The super luxury Belmond Andean Explorer, South America’s first sleeper train, from Cusco to Araquipa– Peru’s answer to the Orient Express.
These are not the only journeys to discover Peru by train, but they do span the range of experiences. If you are planning to visit Peru, I would encourage you to spend a few days exploring Peru by rail. If it will be your first trip to South America, you may be a little concerned about getting around, or about going beyond the major tourist areas. I put this together this article to share our experience in seeing different parts of Peru by train, so you know exactly what to expect.
Our Peru Train Journeys
Sacred Valley to Machu Pichu – Perurail Vistadome
Our first experience of travel in Peru by rail was heading to the destination on everybody’s bucket list–Machu Picchu. Of all Peru train journeys, this is the most popular. We flew from Lima to Cusco and stayed the night at the Novotel.
We think you will love the Cusco Novotel, and you can reserve an excellent price right now!
The next day we traveled two hours by mini van to the Sacred Valley for a guided tour of Awanakancha textile complex, Pisaq town markets and archaeological ruins and Ollantaytambo. We then drove back to Cusco: really too much to do in one day.
The next day we drove back to Ollantaytambo to catch the train.
We arrived there early and spent a delightful half hour in Café Mayu on the station.
We had been told the next train to arrive would be ours. When it arrived we lined up to board. But NO! This was not our train. Our train had already gone! We had seen another small train go racing by but did not realize it was going to stop further down the station! Mortified we sought the assistance of the stationmaster (who did not seem at all surprised). He proceeded to re-schedule us on the next train. So in the end we left about an hour late, which unfortunately meant we had an hour less at Machu Picchu.
Finally aboard the train, we were surrounded by windows and skylights affording us a breathtaking view of our trek to Aguas Calientes, one of the true pleasures of discovering Peru by train. There are several choices of train you can choose. Our choice was the mid-priced Vistadome
Distant glimpses of snow-capped mountains surrounding us were seen as we traveled from the Sacred Valley along the banks of the Urubamba River.
A little less than two hours later we arrived at Aguas Calientes. We transferred to a bus for the trip up the mountain. This was not my favorite part of this trip! With countless hairpin bends taken at breakneck speed up the extremely narrow road, we maneuvered around descending buses.
Relieved to get off the bus we met our pre-arranged guide amongst hundreds of people waiting to get into Machu Picchu. Numbers are controlled so entry is restricted. It is now compulsory to have an approved guide, either private or as part of a group tour.
Walkers are expected to stay on designated paths. Photo opportunities are everywhere.
For those who do not want to walk the steep track there is a small thatched hut where you are still afforded panoramic views of Machu Picchu.
We had pre-booked (and paid for) lunch in the Belmond Machu Picchu restaurant. Arriving towards the end of service because of our train confusion almost all the “Indigenous delicacies” buffet was depleted and the “verdant views” we had been promised was actually a panoramic view of the bus turning area! So we left and went to the little café bar where we paid for a much simpler snack but sat perched on high stools and enjoyed a real verdant view.
After our visit to Machu Picchu we returned to Aguas Calientes. With some time to spare before the train, we wandered the markets outside the train station.
During the return journey on the train, we were treated to a fashion parade of locally produced alpaca garments. Without warning we were joined by a dazzling beaded “Saqra”–devil in quechua– who is a naughty (not evil) devil who danced his way through the carriage coming up behind un-expecting passengers and scaring them.
Arriving back at Ollantaytambo, we drove yet again back to Cusco in the dark. In hindsight, time permitting, we would have done better to have had a couple of days in Cusco, where there was lots more to see, and then gone to the Sacred Valley for two days and start and end our vistadome Peru rail journey to Aguas Blancas from Ollantaytambo because we traveled the same long car trip four times.
Lima to Huancayo – Ferrocarril Central Andino
So why would you travel fourteen hours on a train from Lima to Huancayo in the Andean Highlands when you can drive there in seven hours or fly in an hour?
For the journey…absolutely!
We were living in Lima at the time, so this journey of Peru by train started with the short trip to Desamparados Station in Lima. The entertainment commenced while we were waiting to board. A local police band played on the station. However we heard, but could not see this, as we were corralled in a queue in a brightly painted corridor. So if you want to actually see the band and dancers I recommend you arrive super early.
There are lots of hotels in Lima, but we think you will really like Country Club Lima Hotel. The rooms are cozy, clean and well decorated, and amenities include WiFi, a pool, and onsite restaurant.
This Peru rail journey started rather ignominiously travelling for the first two and a half hours through some of the poorer areas of Lima… backwards! Not my favorite way to travel. However this ended at the first stop when the engine was uncoupled and was manually turned by two men on a turntable.
Once we were facing the right way the train traveled faster out into the countryside.
There are two classes of carriages. The Classic class carriages have a capacity of 68 passengers. They were constructed in England in 1950 and remain relatively the same today. Four non-reclining seats are grouped around small tables.
Tourista class carriages have a capacity of 48 passengers. Built in 2006 in Callao, Peru, the seating is in a traditional Pullman, forward facing, configuration with plenty of room for reclining with detachable individual tables. Panoramic views can be seen from the wide windows with ceiling skylights making viewing the looming mountains easy. The main advantage of paying the additional charge for the Tourista class carriage is access to the rear carriage that is divided between a bar and the open-air observation deck.
As our train snaked around the mountains we passed lead-zinc-silver mining operations both abandoned and still working. This, we were reminded, was the reason the train tracks were laid in the first place– to transport ore concentrate to the coast. The line from Callao to Huancayo was opened in 1908.
It was very calming as we traversed the Andes with only the clackity clack of the lines and the rhythmic jolt of the connections between the carriages. Periodically, the peace was punctuated by the sudden loud bangs of the festive balloons, given to us when we left Lima, as they succumbed to the lower pressure of the higher altitude.
For passengers suffering the effects of altitude sickness, oxygen and a nurse are available.
Two uninspiring meals were served during the trip. Desayuno–breakfast and almuerzo– lunch, a small box containing small pieces of dry, warm chicken and pork, camote (a type of sweet potato) and yucka and broad beans. Postre-desert, was a jelly. In a land that prides itself on its diversity of world-class food I expected more. However, we were not there for the food.
Maté de Coca-Coca tea was offered as this is the recognized drink to help cope with altitude sickness. The national drink of pisco sours are great but it is important to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated so bottled water was supplied. Tour tickets included a medicine glass size “free” Pisco Sour. Of course there was plenty of opportunity to purchase full size drinks at the bar in the Observation Car.
The open-air observation platform at the rear of the train was the venue for the entertainment, an energetic presentation of Peruvian folk dancing. The dance duo presented intricate dances, with several costume changes of brightly colored traditional dress, as the train wove around the steep hillsides. They then invited some of the audience to join them. Dancing at 3500m on a moving train is definitely not easy, perhaps one of the most unique experiences of Peru by train!
Going to the bathroom presented another challenge. Firstly the unpredictable lurching of the train was unbalancing, but with no lighting in the tiny room you may be plunged into total darkness as the train races through a tunnel!
There are 69 tunnels including the Galera Tunnel. At 4782 meters above sea level it is the highest railway tunnel in the world.
The most spectacular of the 58 bridges is the Puente Infiernillo– the little devil bridge. The track runs across a bridge constructed in a narrow canyon thus connecting two tunnels in the steep cliffs on either side of the canyon.
The steepest ascents were achieved with the implementation of switchbacks.
Clinging to the cliff side, the train reverses slowly to the end of a sidetrack, and then runs back onto the main track to achieve an elevation not possible by direct vertical travel. These switchbacks limit the number of carriages possible.
So apart from the wonders of dramatic views of the Andes to delight any tourist, this is a “must” Peru train journey for any railway enthusiast.
We left Lima before breakfast at 7.00am and, fourteen hours later, we arrive after dark into Huancayo to a tumultuous welcome by another band, more dancers and any number of people all vying for the opportunity to transport us to our accommodation.
For a Hotel in Huancayo, you’ll probably like Hotel Presidente Huancayo. It is right in the heart of the city, within walking distance to many attractions.
On Saturday, more by good luck than good management, we encountered a colorful street parade showcasing more mature participants. However none of the spectators asked, nor the hotel reception, could explain what they were celebrating.
On Sunday a three-hour private tour took us to Cerro de la Libertad viewpoint, church and market stalls and the gaudi-esque Parque de la Identidad Huanca . Our tour culminated in the spectacular Torre Torre, the Chimineas de Hadas- the fairy chimneys. These columns, eroded by wind and rain, are similar to the “hoodoos” of Bryce Canyon in SW Utah.
The scheduled return to Lima by train is usually two or three days later. However you can take the opportunity to hike in Cerro Jallacate so extend your stay. As there is no regular passenger schedule and tourist trains only run about one weekend a month this means your return trip may be seven hours by hire car or bus. This then gives you a different view of the Andes as the train mostly does not follow the road. Alternately you can travel to Jauja (about an hour north west up the valley by taxi –approximately S/50). Returning to Lima by air rather than train allowed us to spend a full day on the Sunday rather than another early morning start.
Belmond Andean Explorer
With only forty-eight passengers per trip, this is an exclusive Peru rail journey not many have experienced.
Belmond Andean Explorer warned that, due to the remoteness of the trip, there was unreliable internet on their three day luxury journey through the Andes from Cusco to Arequipa… No Internet? Perfect!
Cocktails in hand, our excitement grew as we sat listening to a talented four piece band, setting the festive mood on the station, playing everything from traditional Peruvian music to classical pieces…with a slightly Latino twist.
No bullet train here! Just three days of meandering through the most amazing mountain scenery imaginable. Surrounded by soaring mountains and plunging valleys, my (geologist) husband was like a kid in a candy store. He didn’t know where to look first. I was perfectly content to just relax and enjoy the altiplano, mountains and snow capped volcanoes. Occasionally we saw flocks of vicuñas and alpacas as we ambled through the ever-changing scenery so isolated you felt you were the first person to ever see it.
The Andean Explorer, Peru’s answer to the Orient Express (also owned by Belmond), operates on one of the world’s highest train routes as it traverses the Andes. South America’s first luxury sleeper train, it consists of sixteen carriages including two dining carriages, a piano bar, a spa carriage and an open-air observation deck. It is the ultimate way to discover Peru by train!
The train started its life in Australia in 1990 on the run from Brisbane to Kuranda in tropical north Queensland. After only four years, the carriages were bought by Belmond. However they remained unused in storage until 2016 when they were shipped to Peru. After major restoration and decorating with Peruvian textiles, but leaving hints of their art deco origins, they were re-incarnated as the luxury Andean Explorer commencing service in 2017.
Our train was fully booked, with the grand total of 47 travelers! Our cabin was spacious with a tiny, but adequate, en-suite. If you decide to explore Peru by rail, this is a heavenly trip to experience.
Peru is becoming a major gastronomic destination having won the coveted Best Culinary Destination at the World Travel Awards this year for the 8th consecutive time. Dining on this train was no exception. Meals served in the dining cars were a gourmet delight with an emphasis on local produce with paired wine. Head of the dining program is renowned Peruvian chef Diego Muñoz, named by the New York Times as one of the world’s top chefs. After each lunch and dinner we were offered a different digestif infused with calmative local herbs.
We were transported by bus to Racqch’i , an Inca archeological site. A large craft market was nearby.
The train then continued to an altitude of over 4300 metres where we stopped at La Raya, an artisan craft market set up beside the tracks.
The sounds of a baby grand piano (yes on a train!) lured us to cocktail hour. Champagne, cocktails, spirits, whatever you fancied were accompanied by many different delicate hors d’oeuvres. I was delighted to receive individually prepared hors d’oeuvres, closely resembling those for everyone else, to cater for my gluten intolerance.
The highlight was definitely the day at Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. The train had stopped at Lake Station, Puno, the night before in anticipation of sunrise over the lake. Passengers were treated to coffee or steaming hot chocolate and a blazing wood fire while waiting at the lakeside for the sun to appear over the horizon.
We then travelled by ferry from Puno with our knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide, Pablo, to the manmade Uros islands. The islands, floating on a base of peat moss, are then covered by layers of Totora reeds, which grow in abundance on the shores of the lake. The Uru people and their traditions date back to Pre-Inca times. Using models, the islanders demonstrated how the islands are made. The number of islands varies. When a family group becomes too large (or there is a family feud) part of the island is cut away and floated to a different location.
We were invited by an Uru lady into her single room totora reed home. It was quite hard to walk in the house as the floor was piled high with totora reeds but this was to soften sleeping on the ground without a mattress, with only a blanket under you.
Travel between islands was on a balsa. These traditional small boats, woven entirely of totora reeds, are used for the fishing that is part of their subsistence lifestyle. However the larger boats used to transport tourist between islands now float on a raft of thousands of recycled plastic water bottles. Ingenious recycling! This was not something we expected to encounter on our Peru train journey.
On arrival at Taquile Island, Pablo performed the moving spiritual ritual of the Pachamama ceremony, giving thanks to Mother Earth. Lunch was followed by a folkloric performance in colorful traditional dress with the ladies wearing seven layers of heavy calico petticoats!
An early morning hike above Lake Lagunillas and descending the steps to the 8000-year old rupestrian rock paintings of the Sumbay Caves were also offered.
We had commenced our trip by flying from Lima to Cusco, allowing two days to get accustomed to the higher altitude and to visit Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. When travelling Peru by train starting from Cusco, the climb to Abra Crucero Alto, the highest point of the journey at 4528m, is more gradual than when you leave from Arequipa, allowing more time to adjust to the ascending altitude. (For the Americans that is over 14,800 feet.) However, Belmond is well prepared for potential altitude sickness with oxygen in every cabin and an excellent Andean nurse on call 24/7 if needed.
Belmond offers a more extensive package deal starting from Lima, but with limited time available we chose the 3day/2 night option that included travel, double bed cabin with en-suite, all meals, drinks and side trips.
Travelling through the Andes by train affords views from a different perspective and allowed us to see far more than is visible by road or plane. It also gave us an opportunity to explore archeological sights, visit local artisan markets and the unique Lake Titicaca.
On this Peru Rail journey it was definitely the journey rather than the destination that was the highlight of our trip. It is suited to anyone who loves exploring new territory …with a touch of luxury.
Planning Your Peru Rail Journey
If you are visiting Peru in the future, I encourage you to add at least one trip in Peru by train to your itinerary. Whether a short trip or a long one, each is made into a production you will never forget. Seeing Peru by rail will give you an understanding of the country and its culture that you will not gain through any other means of travel.
We have linked each of the booking sites for your convenience. Gypsy with a Day Job is not affiliated with any of these companies.
- Flights from Lima to Cusco: Latam airline
- Cusco to Aguas Blancas (for Machu Picchu) Peru Rail Vistadome
- Lima to Huancayo. Ferrocarril Central Andino Only runs about one weekend a month so should be booked in advance.
- Cusco to Arequipa: Belmond Andean Expolorer, booked many months in advance.
If you are considering seeing Peru by rail, PIN this!
All photos by Kerrie-Anne and Alan Riles.
About the Author
Kerrie-Anne Riles is an Australian freelance travel writer. She has lived in seven different countries and travels extensively.
Her travel writing includes traveling to unusual places and quirky travel experiences, luxury travel especially cruising and train trips, and gluten free cooking and restaurant reviews. You can read more from Kerrie-Anne on her website, TravelWanderlust.com.au. You can also find her on Facebook.
