Bus vs train ride from Lima Peru to Huancayo?
 

Looking for feedback regarding the bus or train ride from Lima Peru to Huancayo.. experiences? looking to travel in March/April

A lot of great information about the train can be found at the official company's website http://www.ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe

It is good that you are looking to travel in March or April because the train does not run for the rest of the season due to the possible danger of mudslides. It should resume its routes in April.

When buying tickets, we recommend just buying the daytime route, and taking the bus from Huancayo back to Lima or whichever is your next destination. This is because you will not see any of the spectacular landscape during the nighttime dark anyway, and it is more expensive than bus options.

As for the trip itself, it weaves through some of the most picturesque landscapes of the Peruvian Andes and we highly recommend this trip. Few to none are ever disappointed with the ride. It takes 12 hours to travel between Lima and Huancayo by train, and while a light breakfast and lunch are provided much like on a long plane flight, it is also suggested to bring along some snacks of your own. The train makes two stops along the way: one just 2 hours after the start in order for the engine to be turned around, and the second is at the highest train station in the world. If you find yourself experiencing some altitude sickness at that point, the train staff will provide alcohol scents and extra oxygen masks to help alleviate the symptoms.

Let us know if you need any more information about this trip!

Peru For Less

Highest train ride in Peru erratic

risky for altitude illness all the switchbacks

make most riders sick...

town quite basic underwhelming lodging when there

last years past... I would go for the gringo trail

finish with inkalandadventures.com into MP from $300

with Flavio for me last... far better...

Hi there! I'm a Canadian expat currently living in Huancayo and have taken the trip to and from Lima too many times to count. =)

I've never taken the train before. I always take the bus because it's much cheaper. If you're looking to travel cheaply, you can potentially travel as cheap as 10 soles to Huancayo by bus. The bus terminal is at the Yerbateros Station in Lima, which is kind of a dangerous area of the city. Nothing has ever happened to me. Just be careful and don't have too much luggage. Bus prices vary during the day -- cheaper in the morning and more expensive in the evening. Buses run all day there from around 7am to 10pm and you can choose which bus company you want to ride with.

I've written a few posts about my busride experiences between Lima and Huancayo on my blog: http://www.whatlittlethings.com/ -- just search for the term "bus." =) Do let me know if you have any other questions! =)

What qwovadis said about the train trip being erratic is unfounded. If you are traveling to Huancayo, regardless of the method of arrival, you will be dealing with the altitude in any case. The train route does not employ the use of too many switchbacks, and when they do, are too subtle to be noticed. Indeed, the initial 30-45 minutes out of Lima are very shaky due to the tracks laid in the urban environment, but beyond that, the ride is incredibly smooth.

As for Huancayo itself, the city is your typical but traditional Peruvian destination. That means the city developed on its own, not for for the purpose of tourism. Visit the main Plaza de Armas to relax, or the nearby Torre Torre natural structures for something entirely unique. The real treasures of the region, however, are the artisan villages in Huancayo's outlying area in the Mantaro Valley. You will find each location specializes in a particular craft such as silver wares, textile weavings, gourd carvings, and more.

The price of the train is well worth experiencing the landscape at least once. But certainly, a bus trip between Huancayo and Lima is much cheaper, to about half or one quarter.

Peru For Less

thank you all of you for the information and responses!

There is now a day train back from Huancayo to Lima, you do not have to train back at night. The schedules are up. There are two trips per month on a somewhat irregular schedule. The "classic" train is 195 Nuevos Soles round trip.

https://www.ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe/en_index_.php