Ecuador: from the Pacific to the Andes by rail
Named as the most luxurious railroad in South America by the World Travel Awards for three years running, the Tren Crucero is a unique experience. It takes four days and four nights over 447km of winding tracks that climb from the Pacific to the capital, Quito, in the deepest heart of the Ecuadorian Andes. Fly to Guayaquil or Quito for 42,500 Avios (return).
From the station in Durán, 15 minutes from the centre of Guayaquil, the Tren Crucero’s cars are pulled over their winding path by a historic steam locomotive from 1953.
On the first day, passengers explore Hacienda La Danesa, the epicentre of Ecuadorian cacao production. The stop includes a tour of the plantations and cacao manufacturing and tasting activities.
The Devil’s Nose brings the train to 2,000 metres above sea level, from where we can see the panorama of the valley, river and station in Sibambe.
Chimborazo, one of the most impressive volcanoes in the Ecuadorian Andes, appears on the third day of the route, at 3,600 metres above sea level. The station in Urbina is in the foothills of the massif, the tallest in Ecuador’s railway system.
The last day of the trip takes in the capital of Ecuador. Quito is a Unesco World Heritage Site and the official point of arrival in the heart of the Andes, as well as being the starting point for those continuing on to Otavalo and Ibarra, to the north of the city.
From the station in Durán, 15 minutes from the centre of Guayaquil, the Tren Crucero’s cars are pulled over their winding path by a historic steam locomotive from 1953.
