The Panama Canal Railway – Yet Another Panama Surprise

Published by Panama Simple, June 18, 2013 | By Dennis Smith

If you like traveling by train, the Panama Canal Railway is a unique day trip offered nowhere else in

the world. The line was built by the U.S. in order to transport miners to the California gold mines and

was completed in 1855 – making it the world’s first transcontinental railway. Passengers are

transported 47.6 miles (76.6 km) across Panama from the Balboa area on the Pacific to Colon on the

Atlantic.

The Wall Street Journal describes the rail experience this way. “A single daily trip in each direction on

five restored wood-paneled coaches and a remodeled 1930s Dome Car purchased from America’s

Southern Pacific line. The 7:15 a.m. departure is timed to accommodate workers commuting between

Panama City and Colón, home to Panama’s lucrative [Colon] free-trade zone. The return train departs

promptly 10 hours later.

The ride itself, though just over an hour, is almost cinematic in its breadth and beauty, and forms an

adventure-like alternative to conventional boat tours of the canal. Pulling out of Corozal station, the

train quickly leaves the [Panama City] capital behind and enters the Canal Zone, where it hugs the

canal en route to Colon. Crested by rain-forest-covered hills, the landscape pairs verdant jungle with

the massive apparatuses that power the canal’s intricate operations. At the Miraflores and Pedro

Miguel locks, the train chugs past leviathan-like vessels being raised from or lowered toward the

Pacific as still-sleepy passengers revive with freshly brewed coffee.

Further on, the train glides through the Culebra Cut, a major waterway linking the Pacific Ocean

toGatun Lake, the 430-square-kilometer artificial lake that dominates the Canal Zone. Crossed via a

slender causeway, the lake is a surprisingly pristine ecological wonder despite its man-made origins.

Dotted with forest-rich islands, it is a favorite spot for tropical-bird-watchers and anglers. Before

reaching Cristóbal port in Colón, the train passes the three-chamber Gatun Locks.”

The railway was turned over to the government of Panama in 1977 as a result of the terms of the

Carter-Torrijos Reversion Treaty. It was then ignored so service stopped and the rails grew covered

with weeds and rusted. In a 1998 privatization initiative, the government of Panama turned over

control of the tracks to the Panama Canal Railway Company, a joint venture between the Kansas City

Southern Railroad and Lanigan Holdings, LLC. In 2001, the railroad received a rebirth and was

reopened after a major railway upgrade. The famous railroad has been running successfully ever

since.

If you want to follow history, the Panama Canal Railway Company offers daily service (Mon–Fri).

Business commuters can purchase a monthly pass that provides them with an assigned, reserved seat

in one of the line’s executive-service cars. Walk-up passengers do not need to make reservations in

advance. Tickets are sold at the passenger stations before departure or at the railroad’s offices. For

groups larger than 10, it is recommended that you contact the marketing department ahead of time.

Rates are $25 one way for adults, $15 for children ages 2 -12 and $17.50 for seniors and retirees.

Things to do in Panama

This post was written by

Dennis Smith – who has written 73 posts on .

Dennis Smith earns his living as a copywriter, online content creator & manager, writing business

plans for small businesses and editing whatever is necessary. Dennis is also a certified Inbound

Marketer. He lives in Panama where he acts as a consultant for foreign businesses that want to enter

the country.

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