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Experience Brazil with our selection of luxury train rides through remote areas of beauty, seen by few.

Much of the Brasilian Railway system originated in British engineering Britain and with British managers. (Historic video in Portuguese). The network was erected in the nineteenth century initially (1852) by the Maua Baron to transport coffee between Rio de Janeiro and Petropolis. Unfortunately, much of it now stands either abandoned or is used only for commercial purposes. These days Brazilians prefer to drive or fly the long distances between major towns and cities, however, there are some sections of the network in which passenger services and scenic railways continue to thrive. These usually lead travellers on scenic journeys through lush vegetation and verdant mountains and offer a rare glimpse of the wild and largely undisturbed interior of a country so heavily populated on the coast.

There are several railways to choose from, mainly spread across the south of the country and of varying lengths. The most famous is the Serra Verde Express, which cuts through mountain scenery between the southern cities of Curitiba and Morretes. The Vitória-Minas Railway is the only daily service in Brazil that links two state capitals; Vitória in Espírito Santo and Belo Horizonte in the historic state of Minas Gerais. The Pantanal Express, as the name suggests, carries passengers through the magnificent scenery and varied birdlife of the world's biggest wetlands and the Wine Tour combines a luxury train ride with a visit to a fabulous Brazilian vineyard. The Carajas Railway is operated by the Vale mining company, to transport iron ore and passengers for 892 km between Carajas and the port of Sao Luis in the north. 

The British connection: Paranapiacaba was a large industrial complex, established as a British company town for the employees of São Paulo Railway, a privately owned British railway company. Vila de Paranapiacaba, was established during the middle of the 19th century; it was designed according to the prison model style developed by Jeremy Bentham. It was founded by the British-owned São Paulo Railway Company. The construction of this zig-zag railway line in the hilly local terrain was considered a feat by the British engineers and workers at the time. The town was built when the company built the railway line to export coffee beans from the area through the port of Santos. The village prospered for 30 years, until automated machinery replaced the funicular, which was labor-intensive. The village's population suddenly declined and many of its buildings were abandoned. At one time, there were 4,000 workers, most of them British citizens. The last steam train was deactivated in 1982. Contact us to arrange a private visit.

 

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