Train lovers
The ride on its own
Ticket only
- Length2 hours
- Park feeSeparate
- Host10 languages
Pick-for-me guide
Is the End of the World Train worth it, or is the park the real prize?
The short version
The End of the World Train is worth it as part of a park day: a slow 7 km heritage ride with the prison story told on board, best for families, history lovers and wet days.
Verdict essentials
Two questions, one verdict
Is the little train right for you?
Tell us who is travelling and what you came for, and see how the train fits your day.
Your top pick
Our train and park morning
from $180
A short 4.5-hour day with pickup, the ride and Lapataia Bay.
Your top pick
Train ticket only
from $50
A 2-hour slot on the train; buy the park ticket separately.
Your top pick
Our train and park morning
from $180
The 1-hour ride along the old prison line, then the park.
Your top pick
Park day, train optional
from $49
3 hours in the park; the ride stays your choice on the day.
Your top pick
Most-reviewed park and train tour
from $105
5 hours, park stops and the ride, with 1,062 reviews behind it.
A short, slow run through forest and peat bog with a prison story told on board. Who comes away delighted, who feels short-changed, and how to tell which you will be.
Editorial team, endoftheworldtrain.com · Updated November 11, 2026 · Takes 7 min
Basics
- What it isA 7 km heritage line, about 1 hour 45 minutes out and back.1
- The drawThe prison story, told by audio guide in 10 languages.2
- Best forFamilies, history lovers and wet days in heated carriages.3,4
- The catchFare plus a separate park fee; value scores trail other marks.5
- VerdictWorth it as part of a park day, not as the whole day.
What the ride really is, and what it is not
Set your expectations by the numbers first. The whole line is 7 km long, and a return trip takes about 1 hour 45 minutes, including the stops.1 This is not a scenic express across Patagonia. It is a little heritage train that runs slowly up the Pipo valley, through forest and bog, with time to step off and look around.
The city tourism office describes the route as lenga and ñire beech forest, peatland, the Pipo River and the Burnt Bridge, where the train halts at the first panoramic viewpoint.6 Every train also halts at La Macarena for roughly 20 minutes, long enough to photograph the locomotive, walk to a waterfall and look up at Monte Susana and Cerro Guanaco.7 The line ends at National Park Station, inside Tierra del Fuego National Park.8
Inside, Turista carriages are heated, with comfortable seats and wide windows.4 The commentary comes from an audio guide in 10 languages, from Spanish and English to Japanese and Korean.2 Think of the End of the World Train ride as a short history lesson on rails, set in good scenery. Judged as that, it delivers; judged as a wilderness adventure, it will feel tame.
Weighing it up
The ride against a park walk
| Factor | The train | Walking the park |
|---|---|---|
| Length | About 1 hour 45 minutes1 | As long as you like |
| Cost | ARS 80,000 adult fare17 | Park fee only18 |
| History | Audio guide on board2 | Signs and visitor centre |
| Bad weather | Heated carriages4 | Exposed trails |
| Access | Adapted carriages19 | Varies by trail |
Both need the national park ticket, since the line runs inside the park.5,20
The story that makes a short ride matter
What lifts the trip is the past it re-runs. The line began as the convicts' railway: it linked Ushuaia with the forests nearby, carrying firewood and building materials for the prison and the town.10 The city tourism office adds that the train once left the prison for the slopes of Mount Susana to fetch wood and stone.11 It served the town for decades, until the prison closed for good in 1947.12
The tourist line is a rebirth, not a survivor. The operator dates its new start to 1994, when a private initiative led by Enrique Diaz set out to recover the route as a heritage ride.13 More than 30 years on, the railway calls itself an icon of the city, and more than 100 people now work on it, in the workshops, on the track and on the platforms.14,15
Those workshops keep the engines, boilers and every system of the locomotives in running order, day after day.16 You can see some of that work in the main station, which shows the maintenance sheds and old photographs while you wait.9 For anyone who likes machines or history, that backstage glimpse is half the value of the ticket.
What guests score
Average ratings of train and park tours
- Train optional4.8
- Park with train ride4.5
- Most reviewed4.4
- Our tour4.1
- Train and park 5.5h3.9
Average review score of each listing on GetYourGuide when the data was taken.
What reviewers love, and what they grumble about
Read through the reviews of the End of the World Train in Ushuaia and the praise falls into a pattern. Guests single out their guides by name, again and again, for clear explanations and for switching between Spanish and English. Some call the ride a moving way into the prison story, and one guest on another park and train tour wrote that the trip suits all ages.
The grumbles are just as consistent. Some find the day pricey for what it includes, and the tour this site books scores 3.8 for value against 4.4 for its guides and 4.5 for transport. One guest on a park tour felt the train took too much of the day when the park was the real spectacle. Another, on our tour, rode in the opposite direction and had little time for photos at the main station.
Weigh those scores against the bigger samples. The most-reviewed park and train tour averages 4.4 across 1,062 reviews, and the listing that makes the ride optional averages 4.8 across 402. The ride rarely disappoints by itself; disappointment comes from paying a premium for a short ride without enough park around it.
Three ways in
Ride, park, or both in one morning
Park lovers
Park first, train maybe
Decide on the day
- Length5 hours
- Park time3 hours
- TrainOptional
Balanced
Train and park together
Booked on this site
- Length4.5 hours
- Train1 hour
- Bay stopLapataia
The train or the same hours on foot in the park
The fair comparison is not the train against nothing. It is the train against spending the same couple of hours walking in Tierra del Fuego National Park. The park spreads over 68,909 hectares where sea, woods and peaks meet, and the city notes that it can be visited on your own.33,34 A regular shuttle from town stops at the railway station, Ensenada Zaratiegui, Alakush, Lago Acigami and Lapataia Bay.30
A walker with that time sees more wild country and spends less. A rider gets the history, a warm carriage, a waterfall stop and a gentle view of the valley without effort. The city's classic park tour, for comparison, spends 4 hours on Ensenada, Lapataia and a short walk to Lago Acigami.35 Neither is wrong; they serve different travelers.
Happily, you rarely need to pick only one. The combined park tours use the train for one leg and drive the rest, and a direct ticket lets you ride out, walk near the park station and ride back later in spring and summer.36,37 Combined that way, the train is the scenic doorway into the park rather than a rival to it.
Price the choice
What riding costs your group
Set your group size and compare the ride with and without the park.
Compare 4 choices
What riding costs your group
Set your group size and compare the ride with and without the park.
- Train ticket only2 hours · for one person from $50
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View - Park, train optional5 hours · for one person from $49
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View - Most-reviewed tour5 hours · for one person from $105
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View - Our train and park tour4.5 hours · for one person from $180
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View
GetYourGuide's starting prices, converted at the ECB reference rate; exact pricing appears when you book.
The ride itself
What happens between the stations
Before boarding
Station and sheds
Old photos, workshops and a coffee bar.9
First stretch
Forest and bog
Lenga and ñire beech, peatland and the Pipo River.6
La Macarena
Waterfall stop
About 20 minutes off the train.7
End of the line
National Park Station
A pause of 10 to 15 minutes before turning back.8
Back down
Return run
About 1 hour 45 minutes for the round trip in all.1
Who comes away delighted
Families top the list. The city tourism office calls the ride one of the most rewarding experiences a family can share, and the practical details back that up.3 Children of 4 to 12 pay half fare, infants ride free, and staff seat each family together.21,28 The 20-minute stop at La Macarena breaks the ride before anyone gets restless.22
History lovers come next. The prisoners' line, the prison museum in town and the audio guide on board form one story, and the city notes that the old prison was built by the prisoners themselves.38 A morning on the train followed by an afternoon in the prison museum, open daily until 8:00 PM, makes a coherent day.39
Then come the travelers that weather or mobility hold back. The train runs 365 days a year, through snowstorms, and the carriages are heated.40,4 The operator has adapted carriages for reduced mobility, booked in advance.19 On a day of sideways rain, a warm seat with big windows beats a soaked trail, and grandparents who cannot manage a muddy path still see the valley.
Video
Riding the train at the end of the world
Samuel and Audrey on YouTube · The video stays unloaded until you press play.
Besides traveling a picturesque path the little train tells the story of the prisoners that served their criminal sentences in Ushuaia.
Get the most from it
Small moves that make the ride better
Who should skip it, or spend the money elsewhere
Keen hikers may find it slight. If you have a single free day and strong legs, the national park on foot or a mountain walk outside town will give you more. The ride is short, and the park fee is due either way, so the train is the optional part of the bill.1,5 Spend the saving on a guided walk or a boat instead, and see the park station from the trail side.
Tight budgets should do the sums. Each adult visitor from abroad spends ARS 80,000 on a Turista fare and another ARS 40,000 to enter the park.17,18 Bundled tours cost from $105 on the listing with most reviews, and from $180 on ours. A tour that leaves the ride optional, from $49, lets you decide on the morning.
Crowd-shy travelers should note how the system works in busy months. Tickets are sold for a time slot, and within it trains leave at 15-minute intervals, with up to 4 departures in some slots.41,42 Seats are not numbered, and boarding goes by arrival order.28 If you dislike queues and platforms full of tour groups, the park's quieter trails may suit you better.
How to make the ride worth it
Pair it with the park. A tour that rides one way and then drives to Lapataia Bay, where National Route 3 ends, turns a short ride into a full morning.36,43 The tour on this site does exactly that in 4.5 hours, with 30 minutes at the bay. If you book direct, plan the park leg yourself with the shuttle, and build in time for the bay before the light goes.
Choose your slot with care. The morning departure leaves at 9:30 in the high season, and in Premium class it comes with breakfast; the later trains come with lunch.44,26 In winter the operator recommends riding the full return, because points near the park station close in bad weather.27 Keep a layer handy for the waterfall stop.
Finally, arrive early and use the station. Check-in opens 45 minutes ahead, the workshops and old photographs fill the wait, and the toilets are there, not on board.25,9,45 Treated as a slow, well-told chapter of Ushuaia's story with forest outside the window, the train is worth its place in your plans, and most of the complaints simply melt away.
FAQ
Quick questions get quick answers.
How long does the End of the World Train ride last?
Roughly 1 hour 45 minutes.
The 7 km line needs roughly 1 hour 45 minutes for the round trip, pauses included.1
Is the train good for children?
Is the commentary in English?
Yes, by audio guide.
An audio guide on board covers 10 languages, English among them.2
Does the train run when it snows?
Is the park better than the train?
They work best together.
Most tours ride one way and then drive to the bays and lakes of the park.36
Why do some reviewers call it expensive?
Can a wheelchair user ride the train?
Yes, with notice.
The railway has adapted carriages; mention the need when you book.19
Sources
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Servicio Clase Turista ↩
- Ushuaia Tourism Secretariat (Municipality of Ushuaia, turismoushuaia.com) · End of the World Train ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Servicio Clase Turista ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Ushuaia Tourism Secretariat (Municipality of Ushuaia, turismoushuaia.com) · End of the World Train ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Nuestro recorrido ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Ushuaia Tourism Secretariat (Municipality of Ushuaia, turismoushuaia.com) · End of the World Train ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Nuestra historia ↩
- Ushuaia Tourism Secretariat (Municipality of Ushuaia, turismoushuaia.com) · End of the World Train ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Nuestra historia ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Nuestra historia ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Nuestra historia ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Nuestra historia ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Nuestros talleres ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Argentina National Parks Administration (argentina.gob.ar/parquesnacionales) · Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego: Tarifas ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Servicio Clase Premium
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares)
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Servicio Clase Premium ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Argentina National Parks Administration (argentina.gob.ar/parquesnacionales) · Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego: Horarios / Cómo llegar ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Ushuaia Tourism Secretariat (Municipality of Ushuaia, turismoushuaia.com) · Maritime Museum and Former Prison ↩
- Ushuaia Tourism Secretariat (Municipality of Ushuaia, turismoushuaia.com) · Tierra del Fuego National Park ↩
- Ushuaia Tourism Secretariat (Municipality of Ushuaia, turismoushuaia.com) · Tours in Tierra del Fuego National Park ↩
- Ushuaia Tourism Secretariat (Municipality of Ushuaia, turismoushuaia.com) · Tours in Tierra del Fuego National Park ↩
- Ushuaia Tourism Secretariat (Municipality of Ushuaia, turismoushuaia.com) · Tours in Tierra del Fuego National Park ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Ushuaia Tourism Secretariat (Municipality of Ushuaia, turismoushuaia.com) · Maritime Museum and Former Prison ↩
- Ushuaia Tourism Secretariat (Municipality of Ushuaia, turismoushuaia.com) · Maritime Museum and Former Prison ↩
- Ushuaia Tourism Secretariat (Municipality of Ushuaia, turismoushuaia.com) · End of the World Train ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Ushuaia Tourism Secretariat (Municipality of Ushuaia, turismoushuaia.com) · Tierra del Fuego National Park ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
- Tren del Fin del Mundo (the railway operator, trendelfindelmundo.com.ar) · Preguntas frecuentes (FAQ, timetable and fares) ↩
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