Railways in

Peru

Perurail train at La Raya, the highest point of the journey from Cuzco to Lake Titicaca.
The locomotive is an EMD GT26CW-2 Co-Co diesel electric of 3300hp.

The first railway in Peru opened in 1851 between Lima and Callao, a distance of 14 km. It was built to standard (1435mm) gauge. Subsequent railway expansion was fragmented owing to the mountainous nature of the terrain, with a variety of lines being built to a variety of gauges.

Like most South American railways, those in Peru languished in the latter part of the 20th century, but portions have been revitalized as important tourist routes. The Southern network serves the renowned Inca city of Machupicchu, and also connects at Lake Titicaca for ferries to neighbouring Bolivia. The Central network includes the line from Lima to La Oroya and Huancayo, together with the former mining company line to Cerro de Pasco. A former 3ft (914mm) gauge line from Huancayo to Huancavalica was converted to standard gauge in 2008 and incorporated in the Central network. The section between Lima and La Oroya includes what was for many years the highest standard gauge railway summit in the world, until exceeded by a new line in Tibet. However, the Peru Central Railway remains one of the world’s most spectacular railways, with its steep grades and switchbacks.

In 2019, the tendering process began for a new 323km standard gauge railway between Lima and Ica.

• Ferrocarril Transandino the Southern Railway network from Cuzco to Machupicchu, Puno on Lake Titicaca, and Arequipa (Site in Spanish)
• Perurail passenger services on the Southern Railway network
• Belmond Andean Explorer luxury cruise train services on the Southern Railway network
• Inca Rail independent tourist railcar service on the Southern Railway line from Cuzco to Machupicchu
• Ferrovías Central Andina the Central Railway network providing freight and passenger services from Lima to La Oroya, Huancayo and Cerro de Pasco (Site in Spanish)
• Ferrocarril Tacna Arica 62km standard (1435mm) gauge freight and passenger line from Tacna (the location of the national railway museum) and the port of Arica, in Chile (No website located at present)
• Tren de la Costa proposed new railway between Lima and Ica (No website located at present)
• Southern Peru Copper has a private 214km standard (1435mm) connecting its mines at Toquepala and Cuajone with processing facilities at Ilo (Website contains a small amount of information and some pictures relating to railway, click Peru on the map, then Ilo Processing Facility)
• Parque de la Amistad Santiago de Surco, near Lima. 500mm gauge miniature railway, about 1km in length. Usually steam hauled (Site in Spanish)
• Lima
  • Metro (Site in Spanish)
  • Historic tram at the Museum of Electricity in Barranco (Site in Spanish)

© 2006-2019 Glyn Williams
Photo image from flickr by Brian Snelson
Flag image from CIA World Factbook