
The train from Puno to Cusco is ready for the ten hours journeythrough the central altiplano. The railway is currently classified as the highest in the world having scheduled passenger service (indeed there is an higher railway in Perù, but the service was discontinued some years ago) and crosses beautiful mountain landscapes on its way to destination.Update 2006. The railway Cusco to Puno is no longer the highest of the world with scheduled passengers service, because this record now belongs to railway to Lhasa (Tibet)
The first part of the railway runs close to the shore of lake Titicaca, where seaweeds and Totora reeds grow abundantly, as seen yesterday.
The train's coach is comfortable enough. This is the backpacker, economy class. The Inca class has an open-air observation deck also, but the price of the ticket is five times more.
After about one hour and an half, the train arrives in Juliaca, running in the middle of the houses and of the streets.
Soon, lake Titicaca, as well as the biggest cities, are left behind, replaced by very small towns and hubmle farms connected to the rest of the world by just a narrow and dusty track of gravel.
Photo of train Puno Cusco. Finally, with a pair of deafening siren's whistles, the engine-driver invites all the passengers to return in the coachesfor the imminent departure of the train.
After La Raya station, the train descends quickly in a fertile valley and, after many days spent crossing one of the planet's driest place, several big clouds finally appear in the sky, as well as some river (Huatanay and Vilcanota).
The train crosses some town and city. Often the track is surrounded by street vendors, selling everything.
The sun is about to set and before is dark, the train approaches Cusco's outermost districts. A short taxi ride will bring me from the Cusco station to the hotel.
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