This is the story of a completely perfect journey.
I went to the ticket office in Buenos Aires’ main train station. I bought a seat for the train from BA to Cordoba – a 14 hour overnight ride. There were none left in the lower two classes (it only goes twice a week) – tourist and second – so I had to go for the swanky Pullman. The fare was £13.
I arrived at the station in time to have a last meal before boarding. This was in the most romantic and beautiful cafe in the whole city – with huge marble pillars and chandeliers. I had a huge glass of delicious wine and a delicious spinach and cheese tart.
There was a long queue to get on the train, carefully controlled by a team of people. This meant that there was no scramble to embark, just a measured shuffle down the station platform. For those who had large pieces of luggage there was a large trolley and several porters who labelled each bag and wheeled it carefully to the luggage wagon. When it came to my turn to have my ticket checked, I was escorted by a smart uniformed man who took my suitcase onto the correct carriage. He put my case into a little space which was locked by him for the length of the journey. Then he showed me my seat – a detached lounger with a padded foot-rest and a hook by the window to hang my coat. The same uniformed man spent the entire trip sweeping and mopping and polishing and making sure that his/our carriage was immaculate, at all times. When we arrived in Rosario in the middle of the night and the train changed direction, this man, our carriage manager, swivelled all our seats, one by one, so that we once again all faced forward. There were separate loos for men and women, each with a side room with a sink and mirror. We had silent air conditioning and water coolers. Further along the train was a long restaurant car with waiters, offering late-night snacks and breakfast. For those with a bit more cash, there were individual sleeper compartments.
I just couldn’t believe it – and all for £13. This has to be the best value and, in terms of comfort and efficiency, one of the best journeys that I’ve EVER made.
Once again I wondered why Argentines aren’t running the planet. Why not? They clearly know how to do things properly and with enormous style. This train service is new – no more than a couple of years old – using old train lines and stations long abandoned and already it’s a huge success, with packed carriages. Tourist seats, the cheapest, are a £5. £5 for a 14 hour trip, in relative comfort.
The station in Cordoba was just as beautiful and glamorous as the one in Buenos Aires. I was very tempted to jump back on the train and do it all again.
I went to the ticket office in Buenos Aires’ main train station. I bought a seat for the train from BA to Cordoba – a 14 hour overnight ride. There were none left in the lower two classes (it only goes twice a week) – tourist and second – so I had to go for the swanky Pullman. The fare was £13.
I arrived at the station in time to have a last meal before boarding. This was in the most romantic and beautiful cafe in the whole city – with huge marble pillars and chandeliers. I had a huge glass of delicious wine and a delicious spinach and cheese tart.
There was a long queue to get on the train, carefully controlled by a team of people. This meant that there was no scramble to embark, just a measured shuffle down the station platform. For those who had large pieces of luggage there was a large trolley and several porters who labelled each bag and wheeled it carefully to the luggage wagon. When it came to my turn to have my ticket checked, I was escorted by a smart uniformed man who took my suitcase onto the correct carriage. He put my case into a little space which was locked by him for the length of the journey. Then he showed me my seat – a detached lounger with a padded foot-rest and a hook by the window to hang my coat. The same uniformed man spent the entire trip sweeping and mopping and polishing and making sure that his/our carriage was immaculate, at all times. When we arrived in Rosario in the middle of the night and the train changed direction, this man, our carriage manager, swivelled all our seats, one by one, so that we once again all faced forward. There were separate loos for men and women, each with a side room with a sink and mirror. We had silent air conditioning and water coolers. Further along the train was a long restaurant car with waiters, offering late-night snacks and breakfast. For those with a bit more cash, there were individual sleeper compartments.
I just couldn’t believe it – and all for £13. This has to be the best value and, in terms of comfort and efficiency, one of the best journeys that I’ve EVER made.
Once again I wondered why Argentines aren’t running the planet. Why not? They clearly know how to do things properly and with enormous style. This train service is new – no more than a couple of years old – using old train lines and stations long abandoned and already it’s a huge success, with packed carriages. Tourist seats, the cheapest, are a £5. £5 for a 14 hour trip, in relative comfort.
The station in Cordoba was just as beautiful and glamorous as the one in Buenos Aires. I was very tempted to jump back on the train and do it all again.
The last time I checked in, traveller's trousers were de rigueur, assuming attire has been upgraded in line with the programme. X
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