Train from Puno to Cusco, Peru

Early on Monday morning I boarded the train in Puno, Peru (near Lake Titicaca), bound for Cusco, Peru. It was a lot more elegant than I expected. Wingback chairs, a table with a nice cloth cover, a lamp on the table and a waitresses to bring food and drinks. I watched the countryside pass by while almost every child waived at the train. In one town the train tracks pass through an open market that offered anything a person could need from kitchen supplies to car parts. The train passed only inches from the booths while many vendors quickly removed their goods from the track only to return them as soon as the train passed. Some venders had smartly placed their goods between the rails low enough for the train to pass right over.

I am pretty sure I was the only American on the train. A nice couple next to me was Australian, they had been to Argentina and Brazil before coming to Peru. I also heard French, Portuguese, and Spanish being spoken on my car.

Through the bar car to the back of the train was an open car where I could stand and feel the warm air while watching the tracks as the train left them behind. It was a great place to watch people in the countryside as they went about their daily lives. Some were working in fields getting them ready to plant, others were tending sheep or cows as they grazed. The animals were tied to a stake in the ground so they could graze a circular area and I am guessing they were moved to different locations every day. Sometimes local dogs would chase and bark at the train getting scary close to the wheels. People in the cities were always waiting at crossings for the train to pass so they could go about their daily lives. In the cities most people ignored the train but many people in the country stopped and looked and often waived.

I was never board! A nice lunch was served at noon with our choice of soup, main dish and dessert. The train stopped once at a small trackside market that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. There were two different bands playing Peruvian music with dancers, plus a fashion show plus tea and sandwiches were served about four. We pulled into Cusco about 6 pm just as it got dark.

It was a nice thing to do once but was expensive even for all the entertainment and good food. I think I will take the bus next time.