Our leading local newspaper reports

http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1037209

that the famous "Tren a las Nubes" started running again yesterday, after being inactive for 3 years.

The cost is 140 dollars for foreign tourists and it leaves from the town of Salta on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 7.15 AM. This rate includes breakfast and lunch with non alcoholic beverages.

Go to http://www.ecotren.com/en_tren_a_las_nubes_home.html for reservations.

We'll see what our Salta expert Flintstones (Angie) has to comment about this.

Have a great time in our country.

I would rather spend my money hiring Angie and her car to show me the sites of the Northwest...the cost per day for a guided tour in a new car is less than the cost of the Tren.

Great! I'm pretty sure Angie will agree with you, Doc! LOL!!!

Thanks for the info. Wow! that's 140 USD no less....pretty expensive.
I'm curious to hear what Angie/Flintsones has to say about it. She was never very positive about the train that used to run in terms of many issues.
Did anyone ever go its predecessor and can comment on it?

Well, I said a lot about this, I want to tell first I WAS a guide on the train in ī88 and had one of the best experiences working with foreigners as it has always been one of the most promoted tours. In those times it was a state company and the service and mainteinance was the best, the railway workers were on the tracks all the time making sure the train would be in time. The departure was at 7:00 and the return at 9:45 p.m. always punctually. It had a doctor and a nurse working on the train and a federal police for any event, even when I was the only guide and two assistants to guide, inform and assist the whole train, there was no loudspeakers... When it was privatised the price became the highest of all the tours, the service was the same, and through the time the doctor was replaced for only one nurse, there were like ten guides for the whole train, they incorporated singers and entertainers, and it was necessary beacuse we knoe what time the train left but never what time it would return... The tracks were in terrible conditions and every summer the service turned to worse, one delay, two, three times,and with the time the punctuality was not one of its qualities. One nurse was not enough to help all the passengers who got jsorolchi (altitude) sickness.
Now, after having met that old train to the clouds in its best times, and the other in the times it worked really badly, I would not be the first in getting the tickets to go to the middle of nowhere until it really proves it is reliale, punctual. On the other hand, 15 hours, is too much to be in a train and 4224 mts, too high.
I really expect it work, I would wait.
The last time the train was stucked on the middle of the highest bridge at 13,858 ft,almost a day, no water, no food, no heating and it was in winter at that heigh, -15 degrees celcious, 514 passengers...
And the company managing the train did not move a finger to do anything until the next day...
Thanks, Doctor, Thanks AVRooster...
Warm regards.
Flintstones.

People,
Let's give this new company a chance... If everything works the way it should, the ride is an experience to remember for a long time.

Yes, Siberia I just said I would not be the first... I feel they can improve, so, if anybody can tell us something else about their own experience... GOOD or BAD, to get a different view of the whole train.
When I were sure it will be punctual and everything is ok I will be the one who recommend the train. NOT now.
If any of our visitors have a great experience let us know, also the ones who havenīt and we can start judging for the experience of people.
Is there anyone who have travelled on teh Train to the Clouds in this first trip????
Please let us know...

Flintstones