There are some legendary train journeys in South America on the backpacker circuit and those in Ecuador are certainly amongst the most adventurous, with the highlight of the network for travellers being the Nariz del Diablo (Devil's Nose), a hair-raising ride between the town of Alausi and Sibambe high up in the Ecuadorian Andes.
The lamentable fact in the country in recent decades has been the deterioration and virtual abandonment of the vast majority of the rail network that once was among the most extensive in Latin America. Consequently priority was given to building roads and in Ecuador buses came to replace trains as the bona fide transport. Until now, that is. Over the next two years the Ecuadorian government has announced a whopping quarter of a billion US dollars will be invested into restoring its lost rail network: the most major resuscitation programme in the history of Ecuador railways.
As part of the scheme, a wide variety of day excursions, available with most of the country's leading tour operators, are being pioneered to showcase Ecuador's top train routes. Rail dead in Ecuador? Far from it, apparently.
Nariz del Diablo Route
The quintessential Andean train journey, the Nariz del Diablo is a relatively short but exhilarating jaunt down the valley side from the mountain town of Alausi. In the past, just about anything has been fixed to the tracks to provide the excursion: on many occasions even an old US School bus. These days it's a slightly more recognizable train carriage: not only do travellers witness the ingenious series of switch-backs which successfully scaled the steepest gradient of any railway in the western world, but they can also sit on the roof of the carriage.
- Itinerary Tuesday-Sunday at 8am, 11am and 3pm; price US$20 round trip.
Quito to Machachi and Quito to Boliche Routes
The revamp of Quito's Chimbacalle train station is happening alongside the promotion of several rail rides that start right in the capital, giving travellers the chance to enjoy a classic quito tour by rail. The journey out to Machachi traverses a fertile valley in the heart of the Andes replete with haciendas and eco lodges whilst the Boliche route heads up into the National Recreation Area of Boliche, with the option of continuing to Ecuador's most popular volcano to visit, the splendid Volcán Cotopaxi.
- Quito-Machachi itinerary Thursday-Sunday and holidays 8:15am; price US$12 one-way or US$20 round trip.
- Quito-Boliche itinerary Thursday-Sunday and holidays 8:15am; price US$17 one-way or US$20 round trip.
Durán-Yaguachi Route
For something slightly different, this train excursion will run along the coast on the Sendero de Arrozales taking in ample wildlife-watching opportunities. Duran, near the large port city of Guayaquil, was one of the country's first railway hubs, García Moreno, the man who developed Ecuador's train system, had the idea of connecting the capital Quito with Durán, Guayaquil and the country's main port, as the crux of his plan.
- Itinerary Thursday-Sunday and holidays 9am and 1pm; price US$10 one-way or US$15 round trip.
As part of the two-year revamp plan, ongoing information on train routes, improvements and updates can be found at the country's official railway website, which has information in Spanish and English. The ambitious plan? To have all of the above-mentioned routes and more finished and fully operational by the end of 2012.
Luke Waterson - Author Luke Waterson writes, or has written, for various publications including Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Moon Guidebooks and The ...
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