In Jujuy, a small electric train has turned a railway corridor through the Quebrada de Humahuaca into one of Argentina's more unusual tourism projects.
The Tren Solar de la Quebrada combines lithium-battery storage and solar-generated electricity with a route linking Volcán, Tumbaya, Purmamarca, Posta de Hornillos, Maimará and Tilcara. The service officially began in June 2024 and, by its second anniversary, the provincial government said it had carried more than 90,000 passengers.
The project is as much about the journey as the destinations. Passengers travel through one of Argentina's most distinctive landscapes while the train connects historic communities and gives smaller stops a place in the tourism circuit. The province has also used the railway for special programs, including nighttime trips that combine the train with astronomy and regional food.
For Jujuy, the train is a demonstration of how restored transport infrastructure can also become a tourism product. Its long-term success will depend on maintenance, visitor demand and continued investment, but the first two years have moved it beyond the novelty stage.
Source: Government of Jujuy; Tren Solar de la Quebrada official site; Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Jujuy.