Weekend train from Quito to El Boliche

See previous posts on this forum re this. Just follow the prompts and yo u should find out all you need or at least where to find the relevant info.

thanks- i guess i have to do a search - not sure what you mean by prompts.

ok, jqcp, a search reveals a few threads that barely mention this topic, but neither answer any of my wuestoons.

here's a thread with no info

this thread has a little more, but not much

believe me, i'm an old-timer here at LPTT, and i know how frustrating it is when people keep asking the same questions over and over. but neither of those posts has much regarding my questions above.

Your links seem to be exactly the same so here goes with mine.........

I tried posting some links to you but although it said they were being posted they weren't. So much for the LP system. I am trying again but this time just type them in your self as thier linking system didn't seem to work very well before.

click here

click here

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/8-4-2006-104514.asp</a><BR><BR>Click on the top three links and hopefully you will get the info you need on this trip. I had terrible trouble trying to link them up as this linking system is awful on Mac computers for some reason and never seems to work properly. Sorry about that.

Anyway if you decide to do this trip - enjoy!

thanks for the links jq

but those seem to be pre-packaged tours , yes?

i was just asking

1) if anyone here has just taken the weekend train to El Boliche without a packaged tour
2) if the train ride is worth it just for El Boliche
3) if it's possible to get to Cotopaxi from the El Boliche station without a packaged tour
4) if going to Cotopaxi requires more than a day-trip if i am not on a tour.

are you saying it's better to pay for a full package tour if i want to go to Cotopaxi?

have you ridden this train?

If you go down to the Chimbacalle train station you can buy a ticket apparently without being part of a package tour. I haven't ridden on this train yet but hope to when we finally return to Ecuaodor to live.

Here are some other links for you which is not really about tours. You need to get to the station early to get your ticket I believe. I'm not sure how up to date these sites are unfortuately.

click here

click here

I also copied an pasted this item for you. Hope all this helps you somehow.

Train Station

La Estacion Chimbacalle, Quito's one and only train station, has a quaint quality that makes it easy to overlook its aged flaws. Until the Liberal Revolution and the significant development of transportation infrastructure that accompanied it, the train was, for all practical purposes, the only mode of long distance transport in Ecuador. Let's just say that the Station hasn't changed much since Mr. Alfaro's days.

Chimbacalle is located on Calle Maldonado deep in Old Quito, south of the historic centre and several kilometers from the New City. The easiest way to get to the station is on the Trolley bus. Coming north there is a stop right in front of the station. Going south you will need to get off at the Machangara stop and walk a few blocks.

Unfortunately, you need to actually go to Chimbacalle to buy tickets. And unless you like riding on the roof you'd better go at least a day before your trip. Trains do not run nearly as frequently as buses and almost everyone prefers to take the train over a bus for long journeys. Supposedly the ticket counter is open daily from 8:30 to 16:00 but employees regularly take lengthy, unscheduled breaks. The phone number of Chimbacalle is 651-752. There is also an administrative office on Calle Simón Bolívar in the Centro Histórico but you cannot buy tickets there.

For more information on transportation in Ecuador go to the EcuadorExplorer.com's transportation section.

thanks julie -

your links are very much appreciated.