Train to the Clouds from Salta: Polvorilla Viaduct at 4,200m

Ride to the Polvorilla Viaduct and stand on the highest railway structure in South America

The Train to the Clouds is a full-day tour from Salta combining bus and train travel through the Andes to the Polvorilla Viaduct, a 223-meter steel structure at 4,200 meters elevation. You depart Salta at 6:15 am, stop for breakfast and local crafts at El Alfarcito, board the train at San Antonio de los Cobres at 11:40 am, and reach the viaduct around 1 pm for 30 minutes to photograph and explore before returning. The bus-and-train option includes roundtrip transport from Salta, breakfast, and a guide; alternatively, you can buy a train-only ticket and start at the San Antonio station. The full day ends back in Salta around 8 pm, with two hours in San Antonio de los Cobres to visit the craft market or eat lunch on your own.

Step-by-step itinerary

Train to the Clouds full day tour

• Meet at Plaza Antofagasta, Salta
• Bus ride with photo stop at Campo Quijano
• Stop at Viaducto del Toro
• Breakfast and craft fair visit at El Alfarcito
• Arrive San Antonio de los Cobres, board train
• Train journey to Polvorilla Viaduct
• Tour Polvorilla Viaduct for photos
• Return train to San Antonio de los Cobres
• Free time in town for activities and lunch
• Bus ride with stop at Santa Rosa de Tastil
• Return to Salta

The Experience

You start before dawn. Meet at Plaza Antofagasta in front of Salta's train station at 6:15 am for check-in with your passport and ticket. The bus departs at 7:35 am heading toward San Antonio de los Cobres, climbing into the foothills of the Andes. Your first stop is Campo Quijano, 30 kilometers from the capital, where you see the C-14 railroad branch—an engineering landmark carved into the mountainside. At 8:05 am the bus stops at Viaducto del Toro in the Quebrada (gorge) of the same name, a second vantage point into the ravine.

By 9:25 am you arrive at El Alfarcito, a village at 2,800 meters elevation where local artisans keep traditional handicrafts alive. You eat a country breakfast here and walk through the craft fair, then visit the Father Chifri Foundation, an organization supporting education and training for the community. At 11:40 am you reach San Antonio de los Cobres and board the Train to the Clouds at the station. If you bought the train-only ticket, you join the group here. The train departs at noon, traveling at 35 kilometers per hour through open Andean landscape. On board, bar service, postal service and merchandise are available. Around 1 pm you arrive at the Polvorilla Viaduct—a steel structure 223.5 meters long, weighing 1,600 tonnes, standing 63 meters above ground at more than 4,200 meters elevation. This is the highest point of the C-14 railway branch. You have 30 minutes to descend, walk around the viaduct, and photograph it before reboarding for the return to San Antonio de los Cobres, arriving around 2:45 pm.

You then have two hours in San Antonio de los Cobres. The craft market is open, and you can make a clay pot with your own hands or arrange a trek with llamas (both optional and not included in the ticket price). Lunch is on your own. At 4:30 pm the bus departs for the return journey. After an hour's drive you stop at Santa Rosa de Tastil, home to one of Argentina's largest archaeological sites, estimated to have housed 3,000 people. You arrive back in Salta around 8 pm. A live guide in English or Spanish is on board the train throughout.

What’s included

• Roundtrip bus transport from Salta city center (if you select the Train and Bus Trip option).
• breakfast and a snack during the bus journey.
• a live guide in English or Spanish on board the train.
• all taxes, fees and handling charges.
• 30 minutes at the Polvorilla Viaduct to explore and photograph.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Tangol

Is this one for you?Book the Train and Bus Trip if you're starting from Salta city; book Train Ticket Only if you're already in San Antonio de los Cobres or want to join at the 11:40 am departure.

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Top questions

What is the Polvorilla Viaduct and why is it the main stop on this train?

The Polvorilla Viaduct is a steel railway structure 223.5 meters long, 63 meters high, and weighing 1,600 tonnes, located at more than 4,200 meters elevation in the Andes. It is the highest structure of the C-14 railway branch and the most recognized landmark of the Train to the Clouds journey; you descend from the train and have 30 minutes to explore and photograph it.

Do I have to book the bus from Salta, or can I start the train ride on my own?

You can choose either option at checkout. The Train and Bus Trip from Salta includes roundtrip transport from Salta city center, breakfast at El Alfarcito, and photographic stops along the way, departing at 6:15 am and returning around 8 pm. The Train Ticket Only option lets you pay for the train ride alone and begin at the San Antonio de los Cobres station at 11:40 am; you arrange your own transport to get there.

What happens during the two hours in San Antonio de los Cobres after the train returns?

After the train arrives back at San Antonio de los Cobres around 2:45 pm, you have two hours to explore the town. You can visit the craft market, make a clay pot with your own hands, or arrange a trek with llamas (both optional and not included). Lunch is available in town but not included in the ticket price.

What is included in the breakfast stop at El Alfarcito?

At El Alfarcito, a village at 2,800 meters elevation, you eat a country breakfast and visit the craft fair. You also tour the Father Chifri Foundation, an organization that provides education and training to local people. This stop is included in the Train and Bus Trip from Salta option only.

How long is the train ride itself, and what is the speed?

The Train to the Clouds travels at 35 kilometers per hour from San Antonio de los Cobres to the Polvorilla Viaduct and back, taking roughly two hours round-trip. The train departs at noon and returns to the station around 2:45 pm, with 30 minutes spent at the viaduct.

What do I need to bring or know before the tour starts?

You must bring a current valid passport on the day of travel for check-in. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. A maximum of 10 people can book together, and children must be accompanied by an adult. If you choose the Train and Bus Trip from Salta, arrive at Plaza Antofagasta in front of the train station by 6:15 am.