The Solar Train From Jujuy To Machu Picchu, Getting Closer And Closer

What would you think of a tourist train that travels from Jujuy, Argentina, to Machu Picchu in Peru?  To that, add a very low cost per trip and the fact that it is a solar train … It’s like not to believe it, right? However, it is true and it is already underway.

This is a fabulous piece of infrastructure, which will create an incredible route in that area, one of the most beautiful in South America. A huge success is already predicted. A route was needed that would allow easy access to the heart of the Inca empire from the beautiful north of Argentina. Do you want to know more about this project?

The solar train, a dream come true

The first thing to say is that this is a megaproject that involves three countries : Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. It is a dream that has been brewing for a long time, but today it is beginning to take shape.

The idea is to interconnect sections of different railways that currently operate in these nations. On the other hand, it is intended to rehabilitate railways abandoned for years and build new segments of tracks where they do not exist. In addition, they want to start a solar train.

It is a really ambitious task, if one takes into account the extension of the territories, the topography of the land and the technology that will be used. However, the works are already in progress and will be completed in the near future.

An environmentally friendly solar train

It is clear that Europe is the continent with the longest railway tradition. There you can travel its entire length only by transporting yourself by train. On the other hand, in Latin America it  is the first time that the task of making rail connections in several countries has been undertaken.

Best of all, it is going to be an environmentally friendly transport : a solar train. Most of your pulling force will depend on solar energy panels, installed on the roof of your structure.

The process, first stage

The new rail transport is called Tren de la Quebrada. Construction began in February 2018 in the province of Jujuy, Argentina. It seeks to communicate the town of Volcán with the municipalities of Purmamarca and Maimará in a 20-kilometer journey.

In 2019 the road will be extended to Humahuaca and La Quiaca, on the border with Bolivia, about 300 kilometers from the province of Jujuy. What follows is to connect a slope with Uyuni and Lake Titicaca, in Bolivia. The last section will connect Uyuni, in Bolivia, with the train from Cusco, which leads to Machu Picchu in Peru.

It should be noted that this solar train will recover the Belgrano Cargas road, which has been inactive for more than two decades. In another time, this route served as a commercial route on the Inca Trail in South America.

In principle, the solar train will have a capacity of 240 passengers as a pilot plan, but this number will increase over time. It is estimated that the first section of this mega work will be completed in August 2019.

This is how the trip is done today

If we made the Buenos Aires-Machu Picchu trip today, the first trip is by train from Buenos Aires to Tucumán. Later, you would have to go by bus from Tucumán to La Quiaca, where you cross the border with Bolivia. From this point we can take a bus that takes us to La Paz, in Bolivia.

Being in La Paz, we can access several ground transportation companies, such as micro or bus, that take us to Cuzco, in Peru. Finally, from Cuzco to Machu Picchu there are several alternatives such as combis, transfers or train, among other options.

Those who most make this type of trips are young adventurers who are looking for the cheapest way to get to know several countries. This tour lasts three days, during which you travel through a whole range of regions with beautiful landscapes and different geographical and cultural characteristics.

By the time the La Quebrada solar train megaproject is completed, the travel time will be the same, but the costs will be cheaper and the experience unforgettable. It is, without a doubt, a work that will improve connectivity and give this tour a unique charm.