NARIZ DEL DIABLO

Scheduled to return to service in 2024 after a 3-year shutdown.

Designed for tourists, this train takes you on the vertiginous descent of the Nariz del Diablo. As the gradient is very steep, the machine descends gently in stages, zigzagging along the side of the cliff, taking hairpin bends until it reaches the abandoned Sibambe station at the bottom of the valley. The scenery is superb. It used to be possible to sit on the roof of the train (which made the trip unforgettable), but this is now forbidden and the train has been modified to prevent further accidents. As a result, most travelers seem disappointed with the trip, which they now consider too touristy. Still, a great time to be had.

The Nariz del Diablo is the name given to a section of railroad line linking Guayaquil to Quito in Ecuador. The line was created in 1899. To climb the 1,000-meter difference in altitude, the mechanics are tried and tested: the train zigzags upwards; at the end of each straight line, a switch allows it to change to another track; the train then reverses to the next cul-de-sac. It's an exotic, fun ride that takes in some magnificent scenery.

Not the most spectacular route (probably too touristy), now that several stretches of railroad have been rehabilitated. In the region, we recommend the "tren del Hielo" (Riobamba-Urbina-Riobamba) or even the "trail of the ancestors" (Riobamba-Colta-Riobamba).