Located at the southern tip of South America, Ushuaia is the capital of the Tierra del Fuego province, in Argentina. The city is located on a bay along the Beagle Channel, which separates Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, the largest island in the archipelago, from some minor islands to the south. With a population of over 80,000 and a latitude of 54.8 degrees south, it claims the title of the southernmost city in the world. Just across the channel is Puerto Williams in Chile, another settlement that claims this record, but only has less than 3,000 inhabitants.
Due to its position and the beautiful natural environment that surrounds the city, Ushuaia is now a major tourist destination, and is often nicknamed the “end of the world”. In fact, the city is the southernmost end of the Argentina National Route 3, which starts in Buenos Aires, and also the Pan-American Highway, which begins in Alaska and crosses the Americas except for a small break at the border between Panama and Colombia. Ushuaia is also an access point for the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, and many cruises and scientific expeditions depart from its port to reach various subantarctic islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, located around 1,100 km more south. Ushuaia also has an airport, the Ushuaia – Malvinas Argentinas International Airport, which provides connections with other airports in Argentina, and occasionally also flights to and from Chile and Brazil.
One of the main attractions around Ushuaia is the Tierra del Fuego National Park, which is located west of the city and houses stunningly beautiful mountains, forests, glaciers, and waterfalls. One way to reach the park is via train, by taking the Southern Fuegian Railway, better known as the Train of the End of the World (El Tren del Fin del Mundo in Spanish).
This is now the southernmost functioning railway in the world, and was originally built in the early 20th century. At the time, Ushuaia was mainly used as a penal colony, and a railway on wooden tracks was built in 1902 to assist the transport of materials for the construction of a prison. In 1909, the railway was upgraded with steel tracks. The line connected the prison with the forestry camp, and passed along the shoreline near the town. As more and more wood was exhausted, the railway was extended further into the forest. In 1947, the prison camp was replaced by a naval base, but two years later the railway was damaged by an earthquake. Despite the damages, and the lack of prisoners, the line was repaired, but it was then closed down in 1952. The railway was rebuilt as a luxurious tourist line in 1994, with new tracks and trains with a steam locomotive, and quickly became one of the most famous tourist attractions of Ushuaia.
The End of the World station, starting point of the Train of the End of the World (Leandro Neumann Ciuffo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0).
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The starting point of the modern line is the End of the World (Fin del Mundo) station, located west of Ushuaia, about 7 km away from the city center. From there, the train follows a short route among the mountains and forests. In the middle of the journey, the train stops at a station called La Macarena for about 15 minutes. Nearby is the beautiful Macarena Waterfall, which can be reached with a 5-minute walk from the station. Afterwards, the train enters the Tierra del Fuego National Park and reaches its final stop with the El Parque station.
Tourists can buy three different types of tickets, and can enjoy a meal on board by buying Premium or VIP services. The starting station also serves as a small museum, bar, and gift shop, where tourists can be exclusive souvenirs. During the trip, visitors can appreciate the stunning landscape while listening to an audio guide system that explains local history, with voices in English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, German and Chinese. Along the route, the train crosses a small river called Río Pipo, and passes near an area with many trees cut down, a trace of the prisoners’ work in the first half of the 20th century.
The Train of the End of the World crossing the beautiful landscape of Tierra del Fuego (Deensel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0).
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After reaching the El Parque station, tourists can decide to do the same trip back, or explore the beautiful natural environment of the park. The final stop is located near the Argentina National Route 3, and a trail that starts near the station leads to a bay along the coast. This spot can be reached with a 20-minute walk from the El Parque station, and the gorgeous sight of the nearby mountains and islands makes this additional trip worthwhile.
The train works 365 days a year, even during snowstorms, and departs three times per day, at 9:30 am, 12:00 pm, and 3:00 pm. A round trip takes just less than two hours.