Expreso del Sur
The only passenger train in southern Bolivia since June 2025. From Oruro to Villazón with stops at Uyuni, Atocha and Tupiza: it leaves Oruro on Monday at 21:30 and Villazón on Thursday at 14:30.
5
Stops
~19 h
Oruro → Villazón
6 h 53 min
Oruro → Uyuni
1 dep./wk
Frequency per direction
Oruro ↔ Villazón
The Expreso del Sur – Ferrobús is the passenger service that Ferroviaria Andina (FCA) brought back on 23 June 2025 on the Oruro–Villazón corridor, after passenger trains were suspended in 2021. It stops at only five stations: Oruro, Uyuni, Atocha, Tupiza and Villazón.
It is a ferrobús (a self-propelled railcar), not the old locomotive-hauled train: it is sold with a single fare per leg, with no classes (Oruro–Uyuni Bs 60, Uyuni–Atocha Bs 22, Atocha–Tupiza Bs 25 and Tupiza–Villazón Bs 25). According to Tickets Bolivia it has heating, blankets and a toilet on board, and allows up to 25 kg of luggage plus hand luggage.
It runs once a week in each direction: southbound it leaves Oruro on Monday at 21:30 and reaches Villazón on Tuesday at 16:30 (about 19 hours); northbound it leaves Villazón on Thursday at 14:30 and reaches Oruro on Friday at 07:55. Always confirm at the ticket office before you travel.
Times between stops
| From | To | Time (south / north) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oruro | ↔ | Uyuni | 6 h 53 min / 6 h 55 min |
| Uyuni | ↔ | Atocha | 2 h 08 min / 2 h 08 min |
| Atocha | ↔ | Tupiza | 3 h 15 min / 3 h 30 min |
| Tupiza | ↔ | Villazón | 3 h 07 min / 2 h 50 min |
Running times published by Ferroviaria Andina (south / north), excluding stops. Oruro → Villazón: 19 h journey (Monday 21:30 → Tuesday 16:30); Villazón → Oruro: 17 h 25 min (Thursday 14:30 → Friday 07:55).
Running days
Did you know…?
- The service came back on 23 June 2025, after passenger trains on the corridor were suspended in 2021.
- It is a ferrobús: one fare per leg and no classes.
- It stops at only five stations; the Altiplano villages and Río Mulato have no passenger train today.
- Southbound it stops for 97 minutes at Uyuni and 100 minutes at Tupiza.
Connections and links
The corridor connects with other forms of transport at its main stations. Oruro has a bus terminal with services to La Paz, Cochabamba, Potosí and Sucre. In Uyuni, agencies and minibuses link with the Salar de Uyuni, Potosí and the Chilean border. In Villazón, the crossing on foot to La Quiaca gives access to the railway and buses of northern Argentina.
Stops: the Ferrobús stops only at Oruro, Uyuni, Atocha, Tupiza and Villazón. Río Mulato and the Altiplano villages (Machacamarca, Poopó, Pazña, Challapata, Huari and Sevaruyo) have no passenger train today.
Schedule and fares
Check the full schedule in both directions, with the times at every stop, and the fares by leg.
Bookmark this site before your next trip
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