MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Patagonian Train to run again next year

The service had been interrupted in 2023 amid a severe economic crisis

Argentine authorities announced the return of the railway service linking the city of Viedma on the Atlantic Ocean shore and the Andean resort Bariloche in the Province of Rio Negro starting Jan. 3 with two weekly frequencies.

The service, managed by the Province, had been interrupted for over a year. This time around, it will include a cinema car, as well as car trays, cabins, and a restaurant.

The train leaves Bariloche on Sundays at 5 pm and arrives in Viedma at 11.55 am on Monday. The return trip from Viedma departs on Fridays at 5 pm and arrives in Bariloche on Saturdays at 11:55 am.

The so-called Tren Patagónico website has differentiated fares for residents of Rio Negro and other travelers. Children between 0 and 3 years travel free of charge in either case while an adult ticket costs AR$ 72.000 (resident) or AR$ 80,000 (non-resident), or between US$ 72 and US$ 80, with discounts for senior citizens and children aged 4 to 12.

The province invested AR$ 2.848 billion (around US$ 2.8 million) to refurbish the cars, renew their interiors, purchase spare parts, and improve the railway infrastructure.

Río Negro Governor Alberto Weretilneck highlighted the importance of the Patagonian Train: “The train gives us identity and integrates us, joining the mountain range with the sea. We are the only province with a state-owned railroad and we are proud to preserve this history as we move into the future.”

He also pointed out the need to diversify the use of the train, particularly in freight transport, to generate income to maintain and modernize the service. He also announced negotiations with the national government to obtain the transfer of tracks in the Alto Valle to establish suburban services along the line benefiting workers and students.

After the dissolution of the State-run Ferrocarriles Argentinos in the 1990s, Río Negro took over the branch in 1993 by founding Servicios Ferroviarios Patagónicos, which was interrupted in 2023 due to a lack of funds amid a soaring US dollar, coupled with high debt, safety problems, and poorly kept tracks.