PeruRail

The Peruvian Southern Railway, Spanish Ferrocarril del Sur is a operated by Peru Rail railway in Peru linking the regions of Cusco and Puno with the Pacific coast. In Crucero Alto station between Arequipa and Puno it reaches a height of 4,470 m above sea level, at the pass of La Raya between Juliaca and Cusco 4,314 m asl

The route network

The Peruvian Southern Railway transferred to standard gauge ( 915 km) from the Pacific port of Matarani at Mollendo about Arequipa to Juliaca, where it divides. The eastern branch line leads to Puno on Lake Titicaca and the western to Cusco, from where a narrow gauge line continues to Quillabamba.

History

The railway was originally built to transport agricultural products from the Cusco area to the coast. The combination of Matarani to Juliaca was opened in 1870. 1908 was followed by the connection of Cusco.

From Puno, there were over Lake Titicaca to Bolivia a railway ferry, but which is now set.

Today in particular on the routes Cusco - Machu Picchu - Quillabamba ( narrow gauge ) and Cusco - Juliaca - Puno - La Raya finds ( standard gauge ) tourist traffic instead.

Cusco - Machu Picchu - Quillabamba

• Length of 185 km
• Track width 914 mm

From Cusco train station ( Estación San Pedro) from this route leads to the prehistoric Inca settlement of Machu Picchu. The construction of the line began in 1913. In 1928, the 110 km distant Aguas Calientes was reached. The valley station of Machu Picchu in 1948 and the present terminus Quillabamba reached 1978. The highest point of the trail is located on 3,678 m asl

Currently operate three daily tourist trains and a local train. The section Aguas Calientes - Quillabamba is since a landslide between stations Machu Picchu and Sta. Teresa in 1982 no longer sail, only up to a 15 km distant power plant reached during normal operation, some trains. A luxury train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes is named Hiram Bingham. This is from the registered in the Bahamas Orient-Express Hotels Ltd.. operated, which operates luxury hotels and luxurious tourist trains.

Cusco - Juliaca - Puno - La Raya

• Length of 380 km
• 1435 mm

This route begins in the second station of Cusco, the Estacion del Sur Wanchaq. For transfer trips the two stations of Cusco are connected to a three -rail track through the city. The operating company Peru Rail has two tourist trains operating on three days per week. My highest altitude railway station La Raya pass of the same name is 4314 meters above sea level

Gallery

Andean train on Lake Titicaca

Peru Rail train at Machu Picchu

Peru Rail train traveling from Machu Picchu