If you are passionate about trains, Ecuador has certainly stirred your feelings. There were no options, then some significant choices, and then a long period of nothing. The train traversing much of the nation between the two largest cities was a hallmark infrastructure initiative from a previous administration that generated a multitude of jobs, but it was halted during the pandemic and has yet to resume. However, there is a glimmer of good news in 2025: the Devil’s Nose Train, which I experienced last decade, is operational once more.
Once upon a time, people traveled by train extensively throughout Ecuador, from the capital, Quito, to Otovalo, Cuenca, and the coastal port of Guayaquil. More than 60 trains would leave daily from the primary station in southern Quito.
Then the automobile era arrived, leading to the decline of trains in many regions of the Americas, from a large part of the U.S. down to Patagonia. Unfortunately, Ecuador’s challenging geography exacerbated the issue: it is a land of steep, towering mountains. The initial construction of railways was intimidating enough. Frequently clearing rockslides and repairing damaged tracks after natural occurrences demanded more resources than the government was prepared to allocate.
Riding the Devil’s Nose Train Again
Gradually, journeys were truncated into smaller segments or vanished entirely. One of those segments is worth experiencing purely for the ride: the Devil’s Nose train (Nariz del Diablo) descends a very steep mountain to the valley below. Here’s a video I compiled from my previous ride. (Apologies for the lack of high-definition back then.)
This renowned train ride is distinctive due to the engineering obstacles faced by its builders (which cost the lives of about 2,500 workers) and includes one innovative solution. At one point, the train curves around a bend and stops on tracks that end. At that juncture, the tracks are switched, and the train continues down the mountain facing the reverse direction: the previous rear of the train is now the front. This allows it to navigate a much steeper incline than it otherwise could have. (You can witness that transition in the video above.)
Shortly, it reaches a refurbished station within the narrow canyon, where you can actually spend the night if the lodge is open again. During my visit, I noticed there was a package that included the train ride down and back, accommodations, and two meals for an attractive $50 per person.
Regular day visitors can grab a snack at a panoramic bar up some steep stairs, which also features a museum. Local community members perform traditional dances on the train platform. Plus, there’s a woman with a llama for photo opportunities. Sure, it’s somewhat cheesy, but enjoyable.
For a brief moment, after the government invested billions in track improvements and new rolling stock, a train ran between Quito and near Guayaquil that you could book as a passenger ride. However, they didn’t manage it particularly well, and there were no decent hotels along the route like in Peru. It was operational from 2014 to 2020 but never gained much momentum due to poor marketing and publicity and a lack of tourism facilities at the stops. They should have rerouted it into a regular passenger service that all travelers could utilize, including locals visiting family, akin to the Maya Train in Mexico.
That never occurred, and when the pandemic struck, the train ceased operations and has yet to restart. I’m certain there has been some track damage since then, and the current administration isn’t prioritizing repairs. It’s unfortunate, as it was briefly considered one of the world’s premier train journeys, traversing the “Route of the Volcanoes,” rising from sea level to 3,000 meters coming from Guayaquil.
I’m uncertain if any of the partial routes will reopen. When I rode the Devil’s Nose train, I initially took a train from Quito to Cotopaxi and witnessed new government initiatives in action. There was a refurbished station featuring an inviting new café serving good coffee, a room detailing the history of railroads in Ecuador, and an introductory film about the train system here in two languages. The staff at the station and on the trains were bilingual and donned attractive Tren Ecuador uniforms with a stylish logo. Now, the Tren Ecuador website is missing, so likely all the employees are as well.
We rattled out of the city, passing factories and homes, and ascended the hills to a vantage point overlooking parklands and a valley with snowy mountains on the opposite side. Upon arriving at Machachi station, a brass band performed to welcome everyone. No, this wasn’t a special occasion—they did that for every arrival back then.
The current unfortunate condition of the train system doesn’t provide enough incentive to visit Ecuador, yet this is noted in both of my books.