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PERU TRAVEL
PLANNER
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Peru by train
Peru's spectacular train journeys are in themselves a major
attraction, and you should aim to take at least one long-distance train during
your trip, especially as the trains connect some of Peru's major tourist sights.
At the time of writing, the Central Railway , which climbs and switchbacks its
way up from Lima into the Andes as far as Huancayo on the world's highest
standard-gauge tracks, is currently operational for passengers only on the last
Sunday of the month (returning Monday); but this situation is likely to improve.
The Southern Railway , starting on the south coast at Arequipa, heads inland to
Lake Titicaca before curving back towards Cusco, from where a line heads out
down the magnificent Urubamba Valley, past Machu Picchu, and on into the fringes
of the Amazon forest. The trains move slowly, are much more bumpy than buses,
depending both on the level of track maintenance (presently poor between Cusco
and Puno, for instance) and, of course, the state of the comparative road the
bus is taking. Trains, however, generally allow ample time to observe what's
going on outside, but you do have to keep one eye on events inside, where the
carriages - often extremely crowded - are notorious for petty thefts . Wherever
possible tickets should be bought in advance by at least a day.
Most trains in Peru offer three different classes. Ecomonico is the cheapest and
most basic, usually with hard seats, overcrowding and a reputation for
pickpockets and petty thieves. Pullman costs substantially more, but is still
cheap by European or North American standards; this has better security, is more
comfortable, has waitress service and tends to be less crowded. Inca or Turimso
class is pricier still, has waitress service, a bar and dining, very comfortable
seats and generally has more empty seats.
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