Colombia - Visit Reports

Report from Miika Nicholson February 2025

Bogota Tourist Tren de la Sabana Sunday 23rd February 2025

The Bogota tourist train appears to run most Saturdays and Sundays. Did this back in 2017 also. It no longer departs from the main station in the centre (it did in 2017) but rather at what looks like a newly built station near a shopping centre (Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kMFHzUeGfzaTsNMv7)

Haulage wise, I had GE U10B No. 350 from Bogotá to just north of Usaquen (where it failed). GE U10B No. 752 came to the rescue and completed the rest out of outbound journey to Zipaquira, and return to Bogota (No. 350 was dragged throughout).

On my visit in 2017, I was hauled by GE U10B No. 1001. I have a picture of No. 752 from 2017 in a different colour scheme.

Bogota Station Monday 24th February 2025

I was allowed to look around the old Bogota station (Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BgHRJx9KRA73XkiK9) which I think is the Police Headquarters - the entrance hall looks identical to what it did in 2017 with old police vehicles on display, and the ticket office still exists. The track is still there but all the rolling stock has been removed. They should have turned it into a museum. The 2025 photos will be uploaded in the next day or two onto the Flickr album below.

Puerto Berrio to Barrancabermeja Tuesday 25th February 2025

There are two daily departures between Puerto Berrio and Barrancabermeja. From Barrancabermeja they are approximately 05:00 and 08:00. The return workings from Puerto Berrio are at approximately 13:30 and 15:30 but best to check locally. Journey time is about 5 hours.

There is a third service from Barrancabermeja in the late afternoon to Carare Viejo, returning the following morning but I would guess for safety reasons, this isn't a service to consider taking.

This is essentially a bus on rail wheels type operation. They appear to have 3 of these buses in operation (all different designs). They each pull a baggage truck. Plenty of makeshift rail vehicles too, powered by motorbikes and lawn mower engines!

I was advised "crossing the bridge wasn't safe" (in Puerto Berrio) with a symbol of gun being shown. So be careful. End to end, the journey seems absolutely fine.

Due to engineering works, the bus-train operated as far as about Carare Viejo, we then walked about 200 metres (passing the engineering work blockade) to be picked up by an industrial works type train. Difficult to describe so look at the photos! The loco was turned around by jacking it up, and simply spinning it around.

Barrancabermeja Wednesday 26th February 2025

The station has a few more remains of dismantled bus-trains. I'm guessing they are used for spare parts. There was also a freight train which disappeared at some point to somewhere.