Railways in

Uruguay

The first railway in Uruguay opened in 1868 between Bella Vista and the La Paz river, a distance of about 12km. The line was extended across the river and into Las Piedras later in the year, being officially inaugurated on 1st January, 1869. It was built to standard (1435mm) gauge, also used for the greater part of the subsequent expansion into most parts of the country. A number of important narrow gauge lines, of various gauges, were also built but these have all closed, except for a short section of one line

Passenger and freight services had declined considerably by the start of the 21st century and many lines had closed. A program of rehabilitation and reopening is in progress.

There is an international passenger and freight connection with Argentina at Salto. An international freight connection with Brazil takes the form of a line across the border to Santana do Livramento, where the standard gauge tracks of AFE interchange traffic with the metre tracks of ALL in Brazil.

• AFE the national network (Site in Spanish)
• Indare Steam Railway 600mm gauge steam hauled line about 300m in length, at the Estancia Indare, Colonia. Uses equipment and part of the former route of a sand quarrying railway (No website located at present)
• Santiago Vázquez 600mm gauge diesel hauled line about 1km in length, in a park near Montevideo. Uses equipment from a former limestone quarry at Burgueño (No website located at present)

© 2006-2011 Glyn Williams
Flag image from CIA World Factbook