End of the World Train Schedule: Times, Length & Seasons

Departure times by season

Season	Departures	Station open
1 September – 30 April	9:30, 12:00, 15:00	8:30 – 17:15
1 May – 31 August	9:45, 12:15, 15:00	8:45 – 17:15

The winter midday train leaves at 12:15 on both the railway’s timetable and its FAQ page. If you plan to ride from May 2027, confirm the time when you book, because the railway can change its timetable.

Check-in is mandatory 45 minutes before departure. Seats are not numbered, so the earlier you check in, the more choice you have, and staff seat each family group together. Departures are cancelled only when extreme weather makes the trip unsafe.

Forty-five minutes is the floor, not a target. Give yourself more if you are collecting tickets at the box office, arranging the park entry, traveling in the December-to-February peak, bringing children, needing step-free boarding, or moving as a group — and add the drive, because the station is 8 km out of town on Route 3 and the railway runs no shuttle.

Confirm the timetable too; do not assume it. The railway reserves the right to change fares without notice. Check the date on your ticket, and if you have booked a tour, work to the pickup time the operator sends you instead of the train’s published departure — on a combined tour the operator owns the timing and you never choose the train slot yourself.

How long the ride takes, stop by stop

The official figure is about 1 hour 45 minutes for the round trip on a 7 km line. There are three stations.

Stop	What happens	Time
Estación Fin del Mundo	Check-in and boarding; the only place you can board	Arrive 45 min before
Outbound ride	Río Pipo valley, the tree cemetery and lenga forest, with the audio guide	About 1 hour including the Macarena stop
Estación La Macarena	Waterfall, viewpoint, the locomotive up close	About 20 min
Estación Parque Nacional	Terminus inside the park	About 10 to 15 min
Return ride	Non-stop back to Estación Fin del Mundo	About 45 min

The per-leg times come from tour operators, and the official total is the one to plan around. If you ride with a tour, you normally get off at Estación Parque Nacional and the guide meets you there, so you spend about an hour on board. If you ride on your own and stay in the park, a later train back (the 16:00) is possible in spring and summer if space allows.

The Premium meal depends on the departure: breakfast on the 9:30, lunch on the 12:00 and 15:00. See the tickets and prices guide for what each class includes.

The best departure for a day in the park

The 9:30 departure (9:45 in winter) gives you the most time in the park afterward. Park tours such as the one below put the train at the start of the day, and one traveler on the operator’s own End of the World Train ticket listing recommended going in the morning to visit the park (our breakdown →).

The Tierra del Fuego National Park Tour takes about 5 hours, with the train at the start and stops at Ensenada Zaratiegui, Lake Acigami and Lapataia Bay after it. With the train option it cost $124 for 8 October 2026. Our breakdown →

In summer the afternoon trains also work, because the park stays open until 21:00 from December to February. Our guide to how to ride in summer has a full December to February day. Our season-by-season guide covers when to go. In winter the park closes at 18:00 and daylight is short, so the midday train leaves less time for the park.

Each departure, and the day it fits

Departure	Best for	The catch
9:30 (9:45 May–Aug)	A full day: the train first, then Lapataia, Lago Acigami and Ensenada by road	An early start, and check-in 45 minutes before that
12:00 (12:15 May–Aug)	A half-day tour, a late arrival into Ushuaia, or a morning already spoken for	It splits the day into two short halves, and outside summer it leaves little daylight for the park
15:00	The railway as the day’s main event, after a morning in town, the prison museum or a Beagle Channel trip	Almost no park time afterward from April to September, when the gates shut at 18:00

The morning train is the one to book if you are seeing the park under your own steam, because everything the railway does not reach — Lapataia Bay, Lago Acigami, Ensenada Zaratiegui and the end of Route 3 — is road-only and takes the rest of the day. The route guide sets out exactly where the line stops.

If you miss your departure

You can lose the seat before the train has left. The railway’s rule is that if you have not checked in by 10 minutes before departure, your reservation may be cancelled and your places given to passengers on the waiting list. Its refund policy gives nothing back inside 24 hours either, so a missed check-in is usually a missed fare rather than a rebooking.

Do not count on the next train instead. Later departures sell out, particularly from December to February, and the box office sells only what is left on the day. The knock-on is worse than the ticket: a park tour waiting at Estación Parque Nacional, a booked transfer, or a ship’s all-aboard time will not wait for the following service.

On a combined tour the risk sits with the pickup, not the platform. Be where the operator asked you to be at the time they sent you the day before, and the train is their problem.

Park opening hours and daylight

The station sits 1 km outside the park, but the route enters it, so park hours shape your day.

Months	Park open
December – February	8:00 – 21:00
March, October, November	8:00 – 20:00
April – September	9:00 – 18:00

Ushuaia sits far enough south that daylight swings widely. Around 21 December you get about 17 hours 20 minutes of daylight, and around 21 June about 7 hours 12 minutes.

Weather month by month

Mean temperatures and snow days for Ushuaia, from the 1991–2020 climate normals.

Month	Mean high °C	Mean low °C	Snow days
January	13.6	5.4	0.2
February	13.6	5.2	0.3
March	12.2	4.6	1.0
April	9.4	3.0	4.3
May	6.9	1.7	4.8
June	4.5	0.5	9.3
July	4.6	0.2	10.6
August	5.7	0.1	10.2
September	7.6	1.0	7.7
October	10.1	2.3	5.5
November	11.5	3.3	4.4
December	12.5	4.7	1.4

Rain and snow are spread across the whole year, and summer highs stay in the low teens. Bring a warm layer in any month. The carriages are heated, but the stops at La Macarena and the park station are outdoors.

What changes in winter

The train keeps running from June to September, and the railway promotes the winter ride for its snow. The park is where things close.

The Senda Costera, Pampa Alta, Hito XXIV and Cerro Guanaco trails are open from November to April only. Access to Ensenada Zaratiegui may be closed or restricted in winter depending on road conditions, and tour operators note the stop is skipped in the cold months. The End of the World Post Office there is often closed, so don’t count on it in any season. The Laguna Negra boardwalk is currently under repair. Drivers need snow tyres or chains in winter.

The short Castorera beaver dam walk is open all year, and the Paseo de la Isla and Mirador Lapataia walks near Lapataia Bay carry no seasonal closure. Is a winter ride for you? The worth-it guide weighs it up, and our winter guide covers the departures, daylight and clothing in detail.

Frequently asked questions

What time does the End of the World Train leave?

At 9:30, 12:00 and 15:00 from 1 September to 30 April. From 1 May to 31 August at 9:45, 12:15 and 15:00.

How long is the End of the World Train ride?

About 1 hour 45 minutes round trip, including a stop of about 20 minutes at La Macarena. Riding one way with a tour takes about an hour.

Does the End of the World Train run in winter?

Yes. It runs 365 days a year, including in snow, and only cancels in extreme weather.

How early should I arrive at the station?

At least 45 minutes before departure, when check-in is mandatory. Allow time to drive the 8 km from town. How to get to the End of the World Train covers the options.

Which departure is best?

The morning train, 9:30 (9:45 in winter), if you want to see the park afterward. In summer the later trains work too, as the park stays open until 20:00 or 21:00.

Is there a later train back from the park?

In spring and summer you can return on a later train (the 16:00) if space allows. It is not guaranteed. In the winter season the railway recommends riding the full round trip instead, because the national park closes the points near the terminus in poor weather, so there is less to stay out for.

What happens if I miss my train?

You can lose the seat before the train leaves: if you have not checked in 10 minutes before departure, the railway may cancel your reservation and give your places to the waiting list. It refunds nothing inside 24 hours either, and later services often have no seats, especially from December to February.

Do I pick the train time on a tour?

No. A combined tour sells you a pickup time and a total duration, and the operator fits the train into its own itinerary. Follow the pickup time they send you the day before.

How long does a park and train tour take?

Between 4.5 and 6 hours for the park-and-train tours on this site, and about 8.5 hours for the version that adds a Beagle Channel cruise. The comparison guide lists each one.

Ready to book?

Pick your departure on the End of the World Train homepage, or read our breakdown of the 788107 park tour for a morning ride with the park afterward. Comparing formats? See which End of the World Train tour is right for you and the Tierra del Fuego National Park tour guide.

End of the World Train Schedule