International Railroad Discussion > Cruise Ship to Copper Canyon Option

The Chihuahua al Pacifico route is a spectacular journey that I highly recommend. Holland America charters a seven-car, first class train (El Chepe) operated by Ferromex with a dining car and reclining seat coaches. Holland America m/s RYNDAM docks at Topolobampo. Hearty travelers take buses from the port to El Fuerte. The chartered train operates every 10-days during the cruise season (October - April 2008). Rail trip operates between El Fuerte to Posada Barrancas. Security prohibited photos at El Fuerte - bus to train and off running at 7:15 AM. I checked with Ernesto Vidales, Tourism Operations Manager riding the train about photographing meets at Bahuachivo - no I could not get off the train! We rode straight through to Hotel Posada Barrancas Mirador (mirador@mexicoscoppercanyon.com) near the Copper Canyon viewing area at Posada Barrancas. Maricruz Mancinas and his staff provided an excellent meal.

Consider a stop over along the route to break up the journey if you travel this line. Catch the next day's train. The Hotel Mirador in Posada Barrancas is right next to the the train station. Nearby viewing area (they put our group on school buses for about a mile trip) is perched right on the canyon wall. Photography from open dutch doors in the vestibules wasn't a problem and there were no security issues either. This is one of the very last passenger train services in Mexico.

Photos;

Westbound 3010 with San Madre Express four car train met our train at Bahuachivo, Mexico, March 31, 2008.

Ferromex GP38-2 2000 and 2011 handled the Holland America 7-car train. Train ready to depart Posada Barrancas.

Couple of gals (Caroline and Juliane) from m/s RYNDAM pose on Copper Canyon overlook. Impressive! 7,000 foot elevation can leave some folks with dizzy feeling. Holland America had medical personnel on their chartered train.

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Muchas gracias! I enjoyed the same shore excursion in February. In our train's consist was an ex-UP diner along with 6 Kinki-Sharyo-built ex-NdeM coaches. There was also a lounge car which was quite nice but I could not tell the heritage (possibly ex-NYC).
The best part was being able to spend most of my time riding in the open vestibules. Muy divertido!

Jeff Geldner
Yosemite National Park, California

I took the trip about 10 years ago -from Chihuahua to Los Moches. Spent one night in Creel and another in Divisadero. I remember walking about 20 feet from my hotel room door to a wooden railing, looking straight down and seeing buzzards circling at least 1000 feet below me. Unbelievable!!