Ushuaia, Argentina: The (officially) southernmost city in the world. After meeting the Andes mountain range in Columbia 7 months ago, my travels have brought me to their end. As I am stepping out of the bus, I am greeted by Antarctic polar air. I had to learn the hard way, that the region might be called Tierra del Fuego (which translates to “land of fire”), but has absolutely nothing to do with cosy warmth whatsoever.
Ushuaia, “the bay, that faces East” exists since around 1870, when English missionaries exploited the area. In order to not get conquered in the constant competition with Chile, the Argentinian government decided to proper colonise the area. To be more precise, a prison was built in 1920 and thus secured a permanent population (albeit of not too friendly fellas). To keep these convicts busy, a narrow-gauge railway was built from the city of Ushuaia through today's Tierra del Fuego National Park. The then 25 km long line was used for material transport between 1909 and 1952, but was closed due to unprofitability after the closure of the prison.
Since 1994, however, the railway has been active again as a tourist attraction, which is why I didn't want to give it a pass, travelling with the southernmost railway of our planet (conveniently, its route serves a very picturesque stretch of the National Park).
Everything about my trip, the beautiful steam locomotive and other exciting details can be read here in my blog. Have fun!
Ushuaia
Ushuaia undoubtedly has a very special charm. Expedition ships regularly moor in the harbour and summon their adventurous passengers on the way to Antarctica. The air is icy and clear, the snow-capped mountains enthroned at the back of the city observe the hustle and bustle and regularly cover themselves in thick, impenetrable clouds. But even if you don't have a ticket to Antarctica, you won't get bored here. Numerous museums line the city. Among them are the Museo Fin del Mundo, the Prison and Naval Museum and the Galeria Thematica Historia Fuegina, just to name a few. By the way, the latter is a kind of bizarre wax figure cabinet about the history of the origin of the city, which I especially liked (and also the bar on the third floor is definitely worth a visit!).
If you prefer to be outdoors, you can explore the Ushuaia ski and cross-country skiing area in winter, take a dog sled trip, or – at any time of year – climb the Martial Glacier, visit wild penguins on the Isla Martillo (absolutely fantastic trip!), sail through the Beagle Channel or marvel at the Laguna Esmeralda. As you can see: Boredom is not a thing here.
During my - way too short - 3-day long stay, I found shelter in a [https://www.airbnb.de/rooms/22237792?c=pfreisberg](fantastic Tiny-House with a breathtaking view) and felt extremely comfortable there. In this tiny little house, you'll have everything you need. A small kitchen, a bathroom, a fold-out double bed and the best - a ridiculously huge window out to sea, which invites to long mornings with coffee.
By the way, if you are a fan of good beer, tasty burgers and a wonderful nostalgic train ambience, you shouldn't miss the Santos Cerveceria! It is designed like an old train wagon, where even a trip to the bathroom feels like a journey back in time to the early years of train travel ;)
Tickets, timetables and prices
I purchased my train tickets a few days in advance, online at Trendelfindelmundo . The site is available in Spanish, Portuguese and English and is so simple, that you shouldn't have any problems navigating it. You can pay comfortably by Paypal or credit card, and within minutes you'll have your reservation number in your mailbox. Although the train runs three times a day, you should reserve in advance, especially if you want to take it on the weekend (in my case, my preferred days were already fully booked and I had to take the train on my very last day).
The two classes "Turista" and "Primera Superior" - more about this later under "Train classes" - are served by the same train. A journey with these two classes can be done daily at 9:20, 12:00 and 15:00 o'clock.
The Premium Class only runs at 12:00 and 15:00, and the VIP Class only runs on reservation, made at least 24 hours in advance.
All classes are round trips, which means, that once you have arrived at the terminal stop in the National Park, you can either take the train back or take a later train (I would recommend checking with the local staff for return times to avoid getting stranded in the park). But be aware that, if you're taking the train at 15:00 o'clock, you won't have any other choice than to return directly - unless you organise a private return transport or book a tour of the National Park that includes the train ride.
A ticket for the tourist class costs 1,800 Argentine pesos (as of 2019: approx. 27€). The Primera Superior costs twice as much, 3,600 ARS (approx. 54€). In these two classes, there are discounts for seniors and children.
If you want to treat yourself to the Premium Class, you have to spend a little fortune of 4,200 ARS (64€). For the VIP Class and the Charter Service, prices are only available on request, which is why I have no further information available.
Before booking, you should definitely visit the Tren del Fin del Mundo website, to check availability and current prices. If you have any further questions, you can contact their office by email (also in English!) and usually get an answer within 24 hours.
Train classes
At first, I was surprised by the sheer diversity of the train classes. Not two, or three, no, there are 5 classes! This reminded me of my class-wise confusing trip to Machu Picchu, as you can read. But let's start at the beginning.
The "Turista" - or "Tourist Class".
It is characterized by extremely little space and - compared to the other classes - rather poor service. The large windows, heated compartments, headphones and audio guide in 7 (!) languages are included in the ticket price. Simple and good, no frills - I like it.
The "Primera Superior" - or: First Class
For double the standard price you'll get a lot more here. Not only will you have preferential boarding and much more spacious carriages, but you can also enjoy panorama windows, air conditioning, a table at the seat and a choice of snacks (lamb sandwich, ham and cheese sandwich, a vegetarian wrap or a breakfast menu). You'll also have two drinks of your choice included (one may even contain alcohol!), which can be cold (red or white wine, craft beer, soft drinks, flavoured water or orange juice) or hot (coffee, tea or hot chocolate). On top of that, you'll get a souvenir from the train at the end of the world, as well as a small candy box. Of course, there is also a multilingual audio guide.
The Premium Class
Here, the Tren del Fin del Mundo goes even one step further and equips the tables with real tablecloths. The gastronomy on the train will also be upgraded. The menu includes Patagonian delicacies, including desserts, which can be served with 3 hot or cold drinks (including sparkling wine!), topped off with an exclusive souvenir. Wowza.
The "Exclusiva" – VIP Class
Which strangely can only be found on the Spanish version of the website.
In this class you'll travel with a special wagon, which offers space for 8 passengers. Food and drinks are also served here, coming from the on-board kitchen. There will be cakes and locally made chocolate to choose from. The rest is very similar to the Premium Class.
I can hardly imagine an even more glamorous Charter Service, but it I guess it has to be. Unfortunately, I couldn't take a look at them. But it needs to be said, that both of them run their own trains and are certainly in the 3-digit range.
And how do I get to the train station now?
Unfortunately, the train station is not located in the city centre of Ushuaia as it used to be, but about 10 km west of it. This is definitely too far for a leisurely walk. So how do you get to your train on time? Well, there are three options: by rental car, taxi or official Tren del Mundo transport. The latter consists of minibuses that go three times a day to the station and back and are coordinated with the timetable of the train. They leave punctually at 8:45, 11:15 and 14:15 o'clock. The buses are quite easy to find thanks to the large, Tren del Fin del Mundo advertising print and wait behind the small travel agency cottages at the harbour, where there is also the much photographed Ushuaia sign to be found. A return trip costs the equivalent of 8,30€, whereas the ticket is handed over directly by the driver and paid later at the station.
As I later found out during a conversation with a taxi driver, a taxi ride (with taximeter) to the station costs approx. 6,80€ - round trip thus 13,60€, and is therefore more cost effective for two travellers than the minibuses. Simply arrange an appropriate pick-up time with the driver in advance and you'll have saved some (beer-)money. ;)
Unfortunately I learnt this too late, so on the day of my train journey, I made my way to the minibuses at 11:00 o'clock. The friendly driver handed me a paper ticket and asked me to take a seat. About 30 minutes before train departure I arrived at the station "Fin del Mundo", where the bus driver, together with all other passengers, accompanied me to the ticket booth, which is located in front of the actual station building. The ticket can be paid either in cash or by card. As soon as I had paid, we were told that the bus driver would wait for us in the same spot, in accordance with the train times.
Since I already was at the ticket counter, I showed them my reservation number for the train and received my printed ticket. Afterwards I was politely informed, that I had to pay the entrance fee for the National Park (around 10€). Payment for that is only accepted in cash. After I had paid, I was showered with a whole battery of tickets, flyers and vouchers (including a reduced entrance fee for the aforementioned figurine museum and a free hot chocolate in one of the chocolate shops in the city - delicious!) and made my way full-handedly to the station building.
A train station at the end of the world
The station building reminded me of an oversized, long wooden hut. Directly behind the entrance, on the right side, there is an information desk with a bar/café including a warming wood stove and a big souvenir shop on the left, where one can stock up with all kinds of souvenirs (including a yellow-grey striped prisoners outfit).
If you continue on, you will find yourself in the boarding hall. And it truly has a lot to offer. I am finding myself standing opposite a huge wall with countless memorabilia, like old photos, old train parts, a charming small model railway, information boards, and so on... So if you still have some time before departure, you can take a look around and discover all the things. I especially enjoyed the old prisoner photos, which show the inmates with the train on their way to work.
And there's another gem: The workshop. Through two large windows, you can watch several men repairing and welding train parts. They are constantly busy maintaining the five mini-steam locomotives, built especially for this railway and are currently building a new First and Tourist Class wagon, which is to be completed by 2024. Hypnotized by the spectacle (like in a hidden object game, you can always find something new again), I don't notice how my future fellow passengers start to queue up.
An announcement rips me out of my fascination. At the long end of the building, there is the boarding area (at the other end, there is a toilet, which should be used before departure, because there is none on the train). Dutifully, I queue up. A live announcement is being held by a hatted - I don't want to say dressed up - train employee, informing us about the boarding process and the upcoming trip.
After my ticket has been checked and a pack of headphones has been handed over to me, I am detained by two prison inmates! But of course, the whole thing is only for fun and you have the opportunity to take a souvenir photo in front of the train. So after my rucksack was theatrically "stolen", I get it ceremoniously handed back, I am allowed to board the train. By the way, there is no fixed seats. For the first and only stop, you should try remembering your carriage number. The train is completely full.
Our ride
The train that's waiting for us is absolutely delightful. As a child of the 90s, I immediately feel reminded of Jim Knopf and Lukas from the Augsburger Puppenkiste, who travel through Lummerland with their steam locomotive Emma. Only that our locomotive is not called Emma, but Zubieta (named after Héctor J. Rodríguez Zubieta, a famous ship engineer of the region). It is one of a total of 5 locomotives, has been manufactured in South Africa in 2006 and is the latest addition to the locomotive family. It is 7 meters long and weighs an impressive 10 tons. With its 160 HP engine, it is also the most powerful of the 5 locomotives. Connected to it, there are 6 pine green wagons with gold-white numbering, ready to receive their guests.
The trip
I share my tiny 6-person compartment with my partner and a four-person Slovenian family on family holiday. Our fellow passengers are very polite, and we have a short chat (if you're crowding somebody that much, it's only polite!).
Shortly before departure, all doors are double and triple checked for correct locking, while I put my own headphones (which I accidentally brought) into position and choose a language on the small panel next to me.
With a shrill whistle our little train starts moving. The front wagons are quickly covered by a fine mist of steam and the small locomotive slowly takes off.
After the first curve, the station is quickly forgotten, and we find ourselves midst of nature. A brief but urgent announcement quickly indicates that the doors must remain locked during the journey and that parents should therefore particularly look after their children. We slowly move through wide grasslands surrounded by mountains and can watch some birds and horses with their foals passing by.
Then, the entertainment program starts via headphones. I accidentally set my knob to Chinese, notice my Faux pas immediately and quickly switch to German. Already after the first few sentences I have to giggle a little, because the lady who mimes the narrative voice, is obviously trying extremely hard to speak especially High German. Also, the use of outdated phrases is not uncommon and I feel brought back to my childhood, as if my grandmother was reading a Grimm's fairy tale to me. Wonderful! The nice lady, who familiarizes me with the story of Ushuaia, presents her information very nicely. We learn about the first settlers and the attempts of the Argentine government to breathe a little more life into the lower tip of the world with the help of a convict colony, helping to defend the country against Chile. We also learn how the convicts who once built this train line were treated, and that the times must not have looked as bright for them back then. The first stop is coming up and the train slowly comes to a stop.
Our first and only stop: La Macarena Waterfall Station. As the name suggests, there is a waterfall to admire. We are told via train loudspeaker, that we will stop here for 15-20 minutes.
I use the time to take a few quick photos of our beautiful travel vehicle as it is being manually refilled with fresh water.
On the short way to the waterfall, one passes some small souvenir shops, among them, the photo house, where one can take home their photo taken at the beginning of the trip, freshly printed out with calendar and all for 500 ARS (approx. 8€). I have the feeling that I have already spent enough extra money today and give it a pass. The waterfall is nice, but nothing really spectacular. I return to our cute train and have a look into the other cars.
The journey continues and soon we cross the border to the National Park. The audio guide now tells us about the tree cemetery which passes our eyes. The prisoners came to this remote area to cut wood for the stoves in the prison and the whole settlement, summer and winter. We learn about the harsh tone that prevailed in prison and about some unsuccessful escape attempts, one of which gave its name to the river we ride along (Rio Pipo). Before we arrive at our destination, we learn a little more about the relaunch of the route for tourists in the early 90s.
We come to a stop, almost everyone gets out. I seize the opportunity to take a brief look around, but return quickly, worried that the train could leave without me, as there was no informative announcement. Most of the people who got off the train seem to go on a tour and are already expected by white vans. I watch how our locomotive starts moving and almost panic, only to find out that the train has to turn around.
As soon as it comes to a stop, I quickly jump back in. I am asked to show my ticket again and permission to take a seat is being granted. After a whopping 5-minute stop, the train makes its way back to the starting station, half empty. This time we are a little faster, the audio guide turned silent, and we can enjoy the landscape a second time around.
Around 2pm we return to the starting point of our journey, where our white van already awaits us and brings us back to civilization.
Verdict
All in all, the trip is not cheap if you remember that it only covers a distance of 7km. But that's simply not the point of this journey. The trip is scenically beautiful and very informative, thanks to the audio guide. The old steam locomotives and the feeling of travelling 100 years back in time at the end of the world are in any case the highlight of the excursion. After arriving in the National Park, I would have liked to have some more information and a little time, since one also pays the relatively expensive entrance fee to the National Park, which one can hardly explore (which requires some extra time, preparation and warm clothes during the chilly spring here). It needs to be said, that this train is definitely worth a trip, due to its peculiar position on our planet and its historical past. Thus, if - at any point in time - you find yourself in this part of the world, I would probably recommend a tour which includes the train to the National Park, because in that case, one is not only offered the possibility to travel by train, but also to explore the park on foot. Altogether, it was definitely a very nice and entertaining half day excursion.
Hereby, I would like to say goodbye, thank you very much for reading and I hope you felt well entertained. See you next time!
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