What the "End of the World" Train is

The Tren del Fin del Mundo (Spanish for "Train at the End of the World") is a 7-kilometer narrow-gauge railway that runs inside Tierra del Fuego National Park near Ushuaia. It's the southernmost operating railway on the planet and one of the main tourist symbols of Argentine Patagonia.

The train runs on steam and diesel power; the gauge is just 500 mm. The route starts at the End of the World station (Estación del Fin del Mundo), 8 km west of Ushuaia, and ends at National Park station (Estación Parque Nacional). A one-way ride takes about an hour, with a short stop at the Macarena waterfall.

History: a railway built by prisoners

The railway has a dark, and at the same time heroic, past. In 1902 a high-security prison opened in Ushuaia — Argentina's "Siberia" for the country's most dangerous criminals. To supply the town with firewood and building materials, prisoners were taken into the forest every day to cut trees.

In 1909 a narrow-gauge railway was started to move prisoners and timber. At first the wagons were pushed by hand, then small steam locomotives appeared. The line worked until 1947, when the prison was closed by a decree from President Juan Perón. After that the rails were gradually torn up and the railway was forgotten for almost half a century.

In 1994 a group of private investors restored part of the historic route specifically for tourists. Since then the Tren del Fin del Mundo has become one of the main attractions of Tierra del Fuego — it's no longer transport, it's an open-air museum telling the story of how the region was settled.

The route: what you see in an hour

The 7 km line runs through the scenic valley of the Pipo River (Río Pipo) inside the National Park. Over the ride the train crosses several bridges over mountain streams and slowly climbs in switchbacks through subantarctic forest.

Key points on the route:

  • Estación del Fin del Mundo — the starting point, with a museum, café, and souvenir shop
  • Pipo Valley — a wide valley with a view of the Le Martial mountains
  • Cementerio de los Árboles (Tree Cemetery) — stumps of lengas and nothofagus trees cut down by prisoners over a hundred years ago
  • Cascada Macarena — the only stop on the route, 10 minutes for photos and a look at a reconstructed indigenous shelter
  • Pipo River Canyon — the most beautiful section with views of mountains and waterfalls
  • Estación Parque Nacional — the end point, from which the park's hiking routes start

The locomotives: Camila, Cordillera, Carmen

There are four steam locomotives on the line, each with its own name:

  • Camila — the first restored locomotive, built in England in 1994 specifically for this line
  • Cordillera — the second locomotive, more powerful
  • Carmen — a coal-fired locomotive, considered the "soul" of the line
  • Tierra del Fuego — a diesel locomotive, used in the off-season

In high season (December–February) the steam locomotives almost always run — it's part of the tourist experience. In winter and in bad weather diesel is more often used.

Schedule 2026

The schedule depends on the season. Times can shift; always check the current schedule on the operator's site or with your guide.

High season (November – March):

  • 09:30 — first departure
  • 12:00 — second departure
  • 15:00 — third departure
  • 17:30 — fourth departure (December–February)

Low season (April – October):

  • 10:00 — first departure
  • 12:00 — second departure
  • 14:30 — last departure

Each departure is a round trip with return after 1 hour 50 minutes. Check-in at the station opens 30 minutes before departure.

Classes and ticket prices

In 2026 there are three service classes. Prices are in US dollars for one adult; children under 4 ride free.

  • Tourist Class — standard wooden seats in a shared car, windows with sliding panes. Price: $50
  • Premium Class — roomier upholstered seats, tea and coffee service on board, guaranteed window seat. Price: $85
  • First Class — leather seats, champagne or wine, individual Russian audio guide (on request). Price: $130

On top of any class, you need to pay the National Park entrance fee — $35 for foreigners. This fee is not included in the train ticket.

Which seat to pick

This matters: the view from the windows is very different on the right and left sides.

  • Outbound (Ushuaia to the park) — sit on the right side. You'll see the Pipo River, the canyon, and the mountains
  • Return (park to Ushuaia) — switch to the left to see the same views from the opposite angle

If you buy First Class, your seat is tied to a specific number — when you book you can request "derecha" (right side).

How to buy a ticket

There are three options:

  1. Online on the operator's site — trendelfindelmundo.com.ar, payment by Visa/Mastercard, ticket emailed as PDF
  2. At the station ticket office — show up 1 hour before departure; in high season there can be a line
  3. Through a travel agency in Ushuaia — agencies on Avenida San Martín all sell tickets with a small markup ($5–10), but no lines

Magellania includes the train in a combined National Park tour — we book Premium-class seats in advance, pick you up at the hotel, and run a guided tour of the park in Russian after the ride.

How to combine it with the National Park

The train drops you deep inside the National Park, and most tourists stay there for a few hours of hiking. That's the right call — the railway itself takes only 2 hours, and the park deserves at least half a day.

A typical day usually looks like this:

  • 09:30 — train from Ushuaia
  • 11:00 — arrival at the station in the park
  • 11:00–15:00 — hikes, lunch with a view of Lapataia Bay
  • 15:00 — pickup by ground transport back to Ushuaia

If you're going on your own, arrange a transfer or taxi out of the park in advance — the return trains don't always line up with your plans.

What to bring

  • Warm jacket and hat — even in summer the mountains are cool, especially at the waterfall stop
  • Rain shell — Tierra del Fuego weather shifts every 20 minutes
  • Comfortable shoes — if you plan to hike the park after the ride
  • Camera with zoom — for shooting mountains and waterfalls through the window
  • Water and a light snack — there are cafés at the stations, but prices are inflated

Photography tips

Shooting from a moving train takes preparation:

  • Use a short shutter speed (1/500 or faster) to avoid blur
  • The windows can be opened — don't shoot through the glass, you'll get reflections
  • Best shots are at the Macarena stop: the waterfall, the steam locomotive with smoke, the reconstructed indigenous settlement
  • For portraits with the locomotive, the Fin del Mundo station works — you can get right up next to the engine

Accessibility

The train is partially adapted for wheelchair users:

  • Premium and First Class have one car with a ramp and wheelchair space
  • The bathroom at Fin del Mundo station is wheelchair accessible
  • At the Parque Nacional station only boarding/alighting is accessible; the park's trails beyond that need assistance

When you book, note that you need an accessible car — it's free, but the number of spots is limited.

Is it worth it

Yes, if:

  • You're in Ushuaia for the first time and want to understand how the region was settled
  • You're traveling with kids (the train is always a hit)
  • You're interested in the history of the prison and penal colony
  • You don't have time to hike the National Park on foot — the train gives a quick overview

You can skip it if:

  • You only have 1 day in Ushuaia and prefer active formats
  • Your budget is tight — $50 for an hour ride + $35 park entry adds up
  • You're going in rain with no alternative — the open window views lose half their charm

For most visitors it's a must-do experience: a live steam locomotive, a museum-style route, and entry to the National Park — all in one ticket.