Tren a las nubes

Tren a las Nubes

The train during the first trip after its closure, April 2015.
Overview
Service type	Heritage
Status	Active
Locale	Salta Province
First service	1948; 69 years ago (1948)
Current operator(s)	Sociedad del Estado Tren a las Nubes
Former operator(s)	Ferrocarriles Argentinos
Website	trenalasnubes.com.ar
Route
Start	Salta
Stops	20
End	La Polvorilla
Distance travelled	217 kilometres (130 mi)
Average journey time	8 hours (including rest stops)
Service frequency	Once a week
Line used	General Belgrano Railway C-14 branch
On-board services
Catering facilities	Yes
Technical
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Track owner(s)	Government of Salta
Route map

Route map

The Tren a las Nubes (English: Train to the Clouds) is a tourist train service in Salta Province, Argentina. The service runs along the eastern part of the Salta–Antofagasta railway line of the Belgrano Railway (also known as the "C-14" line) that connects the Argentine Northwest with the Chilean border in the Andes mountain range, over 4,220 metres (13,850 ft) above mean sea level, the fifth highest railway in the world. Originally built for economic and social reasons, it is now primarily of interest to tourists as a heritage railway, though cheaper tickets are also available for locals to use the train as transport.

The railway line has 29 bridges, 21 tunnels, 13 viaducts, 2 spirals and 2 zigzags. Because of the design decision not to use a rack-and-pinion for traction, the route had to be designed to avoid steep grades. The zigzags allow the train to climb up driving back and forth parallel to the slope of the mountain.

It departs from Salta every Saturday at 07:05, and returns around midnight, though most tourists simply do the 8-hour one-way trip and return by other means. The train is composed of a dining carriage, bar carriage, a first aid area and two passenger carriages with room for 170 people, though this is expected to increase to 400 over time.

Currently, the train leaves Salta station for the 15-hour, 434-kilometre (270 mi) round trip to the Polvorilla viaduct, located 4,220 m (13,850 ft) above sea level. The curved viaduct is 224 m (735 ft) long and 64 m (210 ft) high. Once the train has left Salta, it first enters the Valle de Lerma, and then the Quebrada del Toro, before reaching the puna. There are numerous stops along the way, some with markets selling artisan goods and locals offering regional cuisine.