In El ChePe, Mexico, take a scenic 14-hour ride aboard the most modern, comfortable passenger train in Mexico, as it chugs along the Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacifico, also known as the Copper Canyon Railway. El Chepe runs between Chihuahua and Los Mochis through the Sierra Madre mountains and the Copper Canyon (which is really a series of canyons, not just one canyon, which creates a system that’s four times larger than the Grand Canyon). The Copper Canyon railway is a stunning piece of engineering achievement. Opened after decades of construction in 1961, the railways was designed to connect the Pacific Ocean with Mexico's central desert territory and Chihuahua.
The line runs from Los Mochis on the Sea of Cortes to Chihuahua – 655 kilometres -passing though 86 tunnels and over 39 bridges. During one unbelievable eight mile stretch the train make a series of three 180 degree turns (one over a bridge and two in tunnels) in order to change altitude by more than 1,000 feet–a mind-blowing rate for a train.
A journey through Copper Canyon is one of the most enthralling journeys you can take in Mexico. The train ride itself is remarkable, the scenery is amazing, and the whole experience will become a lifetime memory for you and those travelling with you.
Two classes of trains undergo this journey: yellow Primero Express cars and the red Classe Economico cars. The Economico train takes an extra 3 hours to complete this journey.