'Transportation in Uruguay ' Transportation

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Transportation in Uruguay

Regular passenger services are operated between Montevideo and 25 de Agosto (63 km) since August 26th, 1993 (previously all regular passenger services were withdrawn on January 2nd, 1988). One daily train was extended to San José (96 km from Montevideo) on January 15th, 2007, and other was extended from 25 de Agosto to Florida (109 km from Montevideo) on January 2nd, 2008. Another line, which operates between Montevideo and Ingeniero Victor Sudriers, was reopened on December 15th, 2005 (44 km).

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In many parts of Uruguay you can find the remnants of the old Train system which used to be quite extensive. Even at Las Ferias you can sometimes buy railroad ties. The track, I suppose, has been cut up to use as anvils or sold as recyclable scrap.

There was a tremendous movie written, produced, and filmed in Uruguay called "El Ultimo Tren". If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend you do. It speaks, not only to the transfer of technologies as South America moved through the petroleum bubble, but also to the heart and mind and spirit of the Uruguayan people. Makes you feel lucky to be a second class Uruguayo.

As we see the 'Bubble' floating away into thin air, the Uruguayans are returning to some of the rail systems of the past. That seems a good thing. I think eventually there will be a passenger rail system stretching along the coast connecting MVD with PDE and Rocha to the East, and finally to Colonia as well. If, as this article suggests, they already have San Jose, the jump to Colonia may be fairly soon. I'm not sure of the progress in rail service to the East. Does anyone have a good feel for that?

The re-birth of smaller "specialty" bus services would be a nice thing to see here. Especially, using buses designed to carry passengers with bicycles. The Government would be very wise to offer special concessions to such ventures.

In a short time we will see gas prices soaring, and the current rush to own cars that we see all over Uruguay, will come to a joyously anticipated severe slow down. When Governments realize that the remaining fossil fuels would be best saved for the Medicines and Plastics we will so desperately need rather than continuing to burn through them, things will change rapidly. Alternative energy vehicles, motor bikes, and the various forms of public transport will be coming in vogue much more strongly in the very near future.

And we'll get to see and hear the wonder of Trains carrying hundreds to far away places. Ahh, but hopefully they won't be zooming right past my bedroom window, hehe!

I'm a railway enthusiast and spend time every spring and summer playing railways with our little steam trens at nearby Indare but on a national basis with our very small population, good roads and excellent long distance bus services, I really cannot see an economic justification for rebuilding the ROU railways for passenger services.

While there might be a case for commuter lines in and around MVD, the immense cost of rebuilding the system nationwide would surely bankrupt the nation.

Where does somebody go to obtain a ticket or whatever to ride one or more of these train lines ? What's it cost ? What are the hours, stops, etc ?

Where is there more information about this on line ?

I feel somewhat dismayed by the amount of locals who seem to know little if anything about the existing train service currently in operation.

And what about the train to Buenos Aires? Google "uruguay argentina train" and you will find links to articles about the resumption of this service, currently from B.A. to Paso de Los Toros and eventually Montevideo. I haven't been able to find anything about schedules, though.

I don't think either of those are applicable in Uruguay (Alberto?) so that probably explains the lack of interests by the locals. Combine that with the very limited routes... and you have what results in your dismay.

Maybe if they get train services from Montevideo to Buenos Aires running that will help change things. Where is it crossing the river?

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The first trip was to end in Salto and take 18 hours. Once the trip is fully operational, it will be faster (they say).

I haven't found a recent story about this, all the stuff I've found was written before the inaugural trip. So if anyone is going up to Paso de Los Toros or Salto and can dig up a schedule and fares... hint, hint.

The lack of adequate roads or river network led to the establishment of a rail network that allowed to carry the production to port of Montevideo, facilitating exportation. This was possible due to large British investments, mainly, in industrial and commercial activity, such as trams, telegraph, etc. Every year since 1869, a new section was opened until 1918. 1927 began with a new section San Carlos-Garzon and 1928 with Garzon-Rocha.In 1930, 1934, 1936, 1939, some new sections were added. The last section added to the rail network were in 1950 and 1954.

Several private concessions were allowed by the government:

Ferrocarril Central (San Jose-Sauce or Mal Abrigo-Mercedes)

Ferrocarril Midland (Algorta-Fray Bentos or 3 Arboles-Piedra Sola)

Ferrocarril Piriapolis (Pan de Azucar-Piriapolis)

Ferrocarril Central (Mvd-Durazno or Mvd-San Jose)

Ferrocarril Nordeste (Cordon-Pando or Pando-Minas)

Ferrocarril Norte (Cabellos-Artigas), etc...

All the country was covered by a huge (I mean by ''huge'' to the scale of Uruguay) rail network which allowed people or cargo to travel around the country from Mvd to Rivera, Artigas, Rocha, Melo, Piriapolis, Colonia, etc. At the peak of the train network, the country had 2, 975 kms of lines (15, 9 kms of rail per 1000 kms² of area in the country) and 228 stations or ''paradas''.

After the end of WW2, the network has been purchased by the State from the British (war debt) and nationalized by the government at the same time.

This is why the beautiful Artigas Central station was built and inaugurated on 23 June 1897 as well. Designed by the Italian architect Luis Andreoni. The real name of the train station is ''Jose Artigas Station'' and not ''General Artigas Station'' (this new name was changed under the dictatorship).

The Jose Artigas Central Station has been closed in 2003 due to a lack of interest from the government, a lack of funds and a complete disinterest of the population (old and polluted locomotives, old carriages, old and non refurbished stations). The Artigas station become a ruin every day although this building has been bought by a private consortium back, I believe, in 2007. However there is a dispute between this consortium and one of the Estate branch for years.

The government is looking back for a train network but more for cargo instead of passengers. They want to move ''trucks'' from the road to the rail network. We will see but definitely the train network was a true one early this century.

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