Our Train Ride Experience From Cordoba to Buenos Aires and Back Again

 

Argentina has 23 provinces and one federal district, which is La CABA, aka the Argentine capital. Taking a train may be the cheapest way to travel between provinces, but its destinations are kind of limited at the moment. For example, you can't take a train from Cordoba to Mendoza or from Cordoba to San Juan. I'm told that it wasn’t always like this though. There was a time where you could travel practically anywhere in Argentina by train. Then President Menem's regime reportedly decided that the train system took business away from trucking distributors. So, he shut down most train service routes. Over time, those old railroad tracks turned into dumping grounds, which attract a lot of shady elements into the local neighborhoods. Case in point, this piece of sh*t garbage dump below.

This used to be a train track

Dead trees and trash now litter this old railroad

Under the Kirchnerista presidential regime, the railroad systems became operational again. Companies like Ferrocentral were able to offer train services to provinces like Cordoba, which connected them with routes that lead to Argentina’s capital of Buenos Aires. 

We took the train route from Cordoba to Buenos Aires

Check out the video footage we took of the scenery throughout the train ride.

On our journey to and from Buenos Aires, we noticed a whole lot of farms, soy and wheat processing plants, as well as a couple of small towns. I didn't see anything as industrialized as Cordoba City or the Capital of Buenos Aires. 

Passengers get ready to board the train. Nice beanie hat dude!

The interior of the train is similar to those used by Amtrak in the United States. There are overhead compartments that allow you to store your carry-on luggage, and footrests so you can stretch your weary legs while you sleep.   



Each cart has a men and women's restroom, which is rather convenient when the food doesn't agree with you.

Some passengers might like the menu on the train ...

Others might hate it

You can always go and buy yourself coffee, tea, soda, croissants, or a milanesa (breaded steak) sandwich, just make sure you're willing to pop a squat afterwards in one of the toilets. Something in that sandwich made my stomach hurt so badly. You're better off bringing your own food. 

Despite the lack of decent dietary options, the train ride did take us to La CABA and back to our host province of Cordoba safely. But would I use the train again? Yeah! Absolutely!