Trains In Chile – History And Breathtaking Scenery

Chile’s vast extension of over 4300 km (2670 Mi) was the perfect ground for a long-distance train network. In the past, trains crossed Chile from Puerto Montt to Valparaiso, south of Santiago and north of Santiago from Calera, a small town between Santiago and Valparaiso and Iquique.

The different gauges made it impossible to travel across the country on the same train.

The principal rail link between Valparaiso and Puerto Montt uses 1676 mm broad gauge tracks. Most of the rail network between Calera and Iquitos uses 1000mm narrow gauge tracks. The two principal networks meet in Calera.

From the principal north – south railroads go branch lines, called “Ramales”, into the Andes and towards the Pacific coast. These “Ramales” have a variety of different gauges.

These days, Chile uses only a small part of its former railroads for passenger trains.

During the last decades of the 20th century, the government decided to abandon or build back a part of the former railroads. At the moment, cargo trains use a part of the still-intact tracks and passenger trains use another. Passenger trains run especially near large cities. Chile’s government plans to slowly re-implement passenger train services between cities, especially between the larger ones.

Chile’s capital city Santiago is a good place to start a train journey. From Santiago run regular passenger trains to the South. Currently, there are no passenger services operating northward.

The only exception is the passenger museum train from Los Andes to Rio Blanco on the Los Andes – Mendoza railroad. Los Andes is about 80 km north of Santiago. Rail enthusiasts organize the journey on a renovated “Bus-Carril” from time to time. The trip is well worth it.

The southbound train from Santiago to Chillan has several daily departures in both directions. From Talca, about 150km north of Chillan, leaves the “Ramal” to the sea resort town of Constitucion. The Buscarril circulating on this Ramal is considered a national monument and is a great journey through a seldom visited part of Chile. The Bus-Carril calls at many small villages along the Maule River.

Concepcion, Chile’s second-largest city, is 200 km south of Costitucion. From here the “Corto Laja”, a red train, connects with the city of Laja, about 80 km up the Biobio River. The train needs more than 2 hours for the 80 km journey.

Between Chillan and 210 km away Victoria run no passenger trains at the moment.

About 35 km north of Victoria is Molleco viaduct, Chile’s largest railway bridge. The viaduct crosses the Molleco River just outside of Colipuli. The Molleco viaduct is one of the largest steel constructions in South America. Unfortunately, no official passenger trains are crossing the bridge at the moment.

Between Victoria and Temuco is another 60 km railroad with regular train service.

South of Puerto Montt the region becomes wild and remote because the Andes reach the sea. Here start the fantastic Chilean Fjords where the glaciers reach the sea. Travelers have to cross over to Argentina to travel overland to Puerto Natales in southern Chile. Another possibility is a journey on the Navimag Ferry that takes four days and three nights for the voyage from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales. Another option to explore the region is cruise on one of the Skorpio Expedition Ships.