Central Highlands - Peru - page 600

Inexpensive minibuses (S3) and colectivos (S5) for Jauja (about 50 minutes) and Con-
cepción (S2, 30 minutes) leave from around Plaza Amazonas in central Huancayo, going
via many of the Río Mantaro valley handicrafts centers such as San Jerónimo de Tunán.
Taxi
Colectivo taxis for Huancavelica (S25, 2½ hours) leave when full (four-passenger minim-
um) from, among other places, Angares opposite the Expresso Molina bus terminal.
Colectivo taxis for Andean destinations to the north including Tarma (S15) and La Oroya
(S18) now leave from a convenient location outside Terminal Los Andes.
Train
Huancayo has two unconnected train stations in different parts of town.
A special tourist train, the Ferrocarril Central Andino ( 226-6363;
www.ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe ) , runs fortnightly up from Lima between mid-April and
October for S120/195 one-way/round-trip (S85/130 for children). There are more expens-
ive turístico services that include accommodations in Huancayo. The 12-hour trip leaves
Lima at 7am Friday and departs Huancayo for the return trip at the rather inconvenient
time of 6pm Sunday. For this return night leg bring along warm clothes and perhaps a
blanket.
It's a fabulous run, reaching 4829m and passing La Galera which clocks in as one of the
world's highest passenger railway stations (the Tibetans are the record holders, followed
by the Bolivians). It operates on a single-gauge track and is popular with train enthusiasts
the world over. The best ways to book are either to visit the Incas del Perú website
( www.incasdelperu.org ) , where there is an online booking form, or the train's official
website. Trains leave from the Central Train Station.
The Chilca train station ( 21-6662; Prado cuadra 17 s/n) for Huancavelica is at
the southern end of town and, as of 2011, the Tren Macho is once again running following
track improvements. It leaves Huancayo at 6.30am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday,
returning at the same time from Huancavelica on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Tickets
are S9/13 1st/buffet class. Buffet class is comfortable, with padded seats and guaranteed
seating; 1st class has reserved seats with less padding. The real draw of this train is that it
is one used by locals (as opposed to just tourists) and so has plenty of color: umpteen food
vendors and even a blind violinist who plays for tips. This service notoriously chops and
changes: for the latest updates, contact Lucho Hurtado of Incas del Perú ( Click here )
who is passionate (and pretty confident) about keeping the line working.
The ticket office is open from 6am until noon: the station is a fair hike from town so
take a taxi.