Lake Titicaca Train

Peru

mountainstraintransportation

It’s a long way from Puno to Cusco, but both should be on your Peru itinerary. The best way to get from one to the other is to take PeruRail’s Titicaca Train. It’s a full day; about a ten-and-a-half hour ride that winds through spectacular Andean scenery. The train itself uses rail cars with interiors straight out of the golden age of train travel in the early twentieth century. Along the way, there will be music and dancing, as well as fashion shows, a delicious lunch, high tea, and cocktail-making class. The observation car also offers stunning views of the natural beauty and towns you’ll pass.

Titicaca Train vs. the Andean Explorer

PeruRail offers two services between Puno and Cusco: the Titicaca Train and the Belmond Andean Explorer. The Titicaca Train is our pick; it runs over the course of one day for about ten and a half hours. You’ll be seated at a table that will be comfortable, if a little cramped, though you’re always free to visit the bar car or observation car. Your journey will include a breakfast beverage, three-course lunch, and high tea. You’ll get a glass of wine with lunch, but otherwise alcoholic beverages cost extra. The Titicaca Train runs from Puno to Cusco on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. It runs from Cusco to Puno on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Tickets typically run around $250 per person.

The Andean Explorer is a luxury experience that converts this one-day journey into an overnight trip. You’ll get a private cabin (suite with double bed, cabin with twin beds, or bunk cabin). The journey will begin around midday, and it’s not long enough to stretch into the night, so the train will actually be stopped for the night. So you’ll be sleeping while the train is stationary, but you’ll get to see a city near your destination around dinner time: if you’re going from Puno to Cusco, you’ll stop in Cordillera La Raya; if you’re going from Cusco to Puno, you’ll stop in Puno before catching the sunrise over Lake Titicaca. The Andean Explorer is about ten times more expensive than the Titicaca Train (tickets run from about $2,000 to $2,500). But if you have the cash and love trains, this will be an unforgettable experience.