Updated Date:
Author: Salar de Uyuni Editorial Team
Quick Summary: Uyuni sits on the Ferroviaria Andina line between Oruro and Villazón, served by two trains: the faster Expreso del Sur and the all-stops Wara Wara del Sur. Each runs twice weekly in each direction, so your travel dates have to match the timetable. Oruro to Uyuni takes around 7 hours and costs roughly $20–$35; the full Oruro–Villazón run is 15 to 16 hours. Buy at the station ticket office or online, and book ahead in high season.
Uyuni is a railway town before it’s a tourist town. The tracks are why it exists, the Train Graveyard on the edge of town is the rusting evidence, and the working station on Avenida Ferroviaria still handles passenger services twice a week in each direction.
For travelers heading to Salar de Uyuni, the train is a real alternative to the overnight bus — slower, more comfortable, more scenic, and completely dependent on whether your dates line up with the schedule.
The line and the two trains
Uyuni sits on the Empresa Ferroviaria Andina (FCA) corridor running from Oruro in the north to Villazón on the Argentine border in the south. Main stations on the route are Oruro, Río Mulato, Uyuni, Atocha, Tupiza and Villazón.
Two passenger services run it:
Expreso del Sur
The faster, more comfortable option. It stops only at the main stations, which shortens the journey noticeably.
- Southbound (Oruro → Villazón): Tuesdays and Fridays
- Northbound (Villazón → Oruro): Wednesdays and Saturdays
- Classes: Ejecutivo and Salón, plus a dining car
Wara Wara del Sur
The all-stops service, calling at all twelve stations including small Altiplano villages. Cheaper and slower.
- Southbound (Oruro → Villazón): Wednesdays and Sundays
- Northbound (Villazón → Oruro): Mondays and Thursdays
- Classes: Ejecutivo, Salón and the cheaper Popular
Journey times and fares
| Leg | Approximate time | Indicative fare |
|---|---|---|
| Oruro → Uyuni | ~7 hours | $20–$35 depending on class |
| Uyuni → Tupiza | ~5 hours | Mid-range |
| Uyuni → Villazón | ~8 hours | Mid-range |
| Oruro → Villazón (full route) | 15–16 hours | Up to around 170 Bs in Ejecutivo |
Fares are charged in bolivianos and run from roughly 20 Bs for short hops to around 170 Bs for the full route in the top class. Dollar equivalents shift — the boliviano moved to a managed float on 29 June 2026 — so treat conversions as approximate.
Which class to book
- Ejecutivo — wide reclining seats, heating, more space. Worth it for overnight legs, and the altitude makes heating matter more than you’d expect.
- Salón — comfortable reclining seats at a better price. The balanced choice for daytime travel.
- Popular — cheapest, only on the Wara Wara del Sur. Fine for short hops between villages, less pleasant for a full night.
How to buy tickets
At the station. The ticket office at Uyuni’s station on Avenida Ferroviaria sells seats directly. Other main stations — Oruro, Tupiza and Villazón — do the same. This is the simplest method if you’re already in town and travelling outside peak season.
Online in advance. FCA sells tickets through an authorized online agent, with payment by card or Tigo Money. This is the more convenient route in high season, when the Expreso del Sur genuinely fills up. Tickets Bolivia handles online sales for the route.
Practical notes:
- Buy in advance for July, August and Bolivian holiday periods
- Bring your passport — it’s used for the booking
- Luggage allowance is generally around 25 kg excluding hand luggage
- Arrive at the station early; departures are punctual by regional standards
What the station is actually like
Uyuni’s station is small, functional and unmistakably part of a working freight railway. Don’t expect a terminal — expect a ticket window, a platform and a waiting area.
A few practical realities:
- The town sits at around 3,656 m and gets genuinely cold after dark. Waiting on the platform in July means gloves and a hat, not a jacket alone.
- Facilities are limited. Eat before you board, or budget for the dining car.
- The station is walkable from most of central Uyuni, roughly 10 to 15 minutes from the main plaza area.
- The Train Graveyard is about 3 km southwest of town and is a separate site — it’s usually the first stop on the classic salt flats tour, not something you visit at the station.
Train vs bus vs flight to Uyuni
| Train (via Oruro) | Overnight bus from La Paz | Flight from La Paz | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total time | 11–12 hours including the Oruro bus | 9–12 hours | ~1 hour |
| Cost | $28–$47 combined | $15–$25 | $78–$150 one-way |
| Departure days | Set days only | Daily | Most days |
| Comfort | Best of the three overland | Variable, cold | Highest |
| Scenery | Excellent Altiplano views | None (overnight) | Spectacular on a clear day |
| Arrival timing for tours | Evening | Dawn, aligns with 10:30 departures | Morning |
The train is best for: travelers with flexible dates who enjoy the journey, anyone continuing south to Tupiza or Argentina, and people who’ve had enough of Bolivian buses.
The train is worst for: anyone on a fixed schedule. Waiting two days in Oruro for a departure is a poor use of a Bolivia trip. Check the running days before you commit.
Full comparison of every route into Uyuni is in how to get to Salar de Uyuni, and the La Paz options are covered in La Paz to Uyuni.
Using the train to reach Argentina
The southbound service is the practical way to link Uyuni with the Argentine border. Uyuni to Villazón takes around 8 hours, and Villazón sits directly across from La Quiaca in Argentina, from where buses connect toward Salta and Jujuy.
That makes the train a genuinely useful piece of a wider South America route: salt flats, then Tupiza’s red canyons, then Argentina. Our Salta to Uyuni guide covers the same corridor in reverse.
FAQ
What days does the train to Uyuni run in 2026?
Southbound from Oruro, the Expreso del Sur runs on Tuesdays and Fridays and the Wara Wara del Sur on Wednesdays and Sundays. Northbound from Villazón, the Expreso runs Wednesdays and Saturdays and the Wara Wara Mondays and Thursdays. That gives you roughly four departures a week in each direction across both services. FCA does adjust the timetable, so confirm the running days for your travel week at the ticket office or with your booking agent before planning around them.
Can I buy Uyuni train tickets online from abroad?
Yes. FCA sells tickets through an authorized online agent with card or Tigo Money payment, which is the practical option if you’re travelling in high season or building a fixed itinerary. Outside peak months you can usually buy at the station a day or two ahead. Either way, have your passport details ready, and in July and August book the Expreso del Sur early because it sells out.
Is the train better than the overnight bus from La Paz?
For comfort and scenery, yes. For convenience, usually no. The bus runs nightly, costs less, and arrives at dawn in time for the mid-morning tour departures. The train runs only on set days, requires a separate 3.5 to 4 hour bus to Oruro first, and arrives in the evening. Take the train if your dates match and you value the journey; take the bus if you want the simplest connection to a tour.
How cold does it get at Uyuni station?
Cold enough to matter. Uyuni sits at around 3,656 m on open Altiplano, and between June and August night temperatures drop well below freezing. The station has limited shelter and heating, so if you’re waiting for an evening departure, dress as though you’re already on the salt flats — thermal layer, fleece, windproof outer, hat and gloves. Our Uyuni packing guide covers the full list.
Can I take luggage on the train?
Yes, with a general allowance of around 25 kg excluding hand luggage, which is more generous than most bus operators. Keep valuables, documents and anything you’ll want during the journey in a daypack with you rather than in stored luggage, and keep it in sight at the small intermediate stops where people move on and off.
Limitations
Train timetables, fares and running days are set by Ferroviaria Andina and can be adjusted, suspended or altered with limited notice — times and prices published anywhere, including here, are indicative rather than guaranteed. Confirm at the station ticket office or with an authorized seller before you build an itinerary around a specific departure. Fares are charged in bolivianos and dollar equivalents have been unstable since the currency moved to a managed float on 29 June 2026. Bolivia’s 2026 fuel shortage and periodic road blockades have also affected the connecting bus from La Paz to Oruro, so check that leg separately. If your schedule is tight, the nightly bus or the daily flight are more dependable than a twice-weekly train.
