Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Trinidad
53-125
8-10
Vallegrande
35
7-8
Yacuiba
51-110
15
Train
Trains depart from the bimodal terminal bound for Quijarro and Yacuiba. For access to the
platform you need to buy a platform ticket and show your passport to the platform guard.
The rail service to Yacuiba on the Argentine border (via Villamontes; the connection
point for buses to Paraguay) departs at 3:30pm on Thursday (B$47, 16½ hours) and re-
turns on Friday at 5pm.
TRANS-CHIQUITANO TRAIN
No longer the harrowing journey that earned this line the nickname 'Death Train,' the route from Santa Cruz to
Quijarro via San José de Chiquitos and Roboré (for Santiago de Chiquitos) is now plied by three different types of
train. It's a glorious journey through forest, scrub and Pantanal teeming with wildlife, though you might be ad-
vised to take mosquito repellent. Most operate
cama
(sleeper) and
semi-cama
classes with comfortable reclining
seats.
The slowest and most frequent is the Tren Regional. It departs Santa Cruz Monday, Thursday and Saturday at
11:45am, passing through San José de Chiquitos (semi-cama/cama B$23/53; 6:28pm), Roboré (B$34/77;
11:06pm) and arriving at Quijarro (B$52/115; 6:20am) the following day. The return departs Quijarro on Monday,
Wednesday and Friday at 11am, passing through Roboré (5:57pm), San José de Chiquitos (11:08am) and arrives
at Santa Cruz at 6:38am.
Next in line in terms of quality is the Expreso Oriental which operates a single comfortable Super Pullman
class. It departs Santa Cruz on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4pm, passing through San José de Chiquitos
(B$58; 9:50pm), Roboré (B$85; 1:47am) and arriving at Quijarro (B$127; 8am) the following day. The return de-
parts Quijarro on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 4pm, passing through Roboré (9:11pm), San José de Chiqui-
tos (1:53am) and arrives at Santa Cruz at 8am.
The fastest, comfiest and priciest is the Ferrobus. It departs Santa Cruz on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at
6:30pm, passing through San José de Chiquitos (B$205; 11:39am), Roboré (B$288; 2:58am) and arriving at
Quijarro (B$257; 7:56am) the following day. The return departs Quijarro on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at
6:30pm, passing through Roboré (11:24pm), San José de Chiquitos (2:31am) and arrives at Santa Cruz at 7:55am.
There is rarely a problem getting a seat from Santa Cruz or Quijarro, but if joining the service midway along
the line then tickets are best bought in advance - only a limited number of seats are allotted for these stations. Hot
and cold food and drinks are available during daylight hours, and a constant stream of vendors pass through the
carriages selling all manner of goods.
