Planning a Trip

The principal airports for the region are Los Mochis and Chihuahua, the two terminal points of the railroad. This section covers these cities and how to get to them.

It's easier now than ever before to get to the region, thanks to improved connecting flights out of Chihuahua and Los Mochis. But moving through the canyon still requires planning. Train tickets and hotel rooms are limited, and in high season (Mar-Apr and Oct-Nov) tour companies buy up large blocks of both. If going in high season, you should work your trip around an itinerary, and have train tickets and hotel reservations in hand when you arrive in the region. You can make arrangements on your own or go through a travel agent or tour operator. During the rest of the year it's possible to buy train tickets as you need them and make last-minute reservations or no reservations at all. There is a small risk that you might run into a large group that has taken all the hotel rooms, but in most locations now, somebody usually has an inexpensive cabin for rent. The most plentiful lodging is to be found in Creel, and it would make a good base of operations for a minimally planned trip.

When to Go -- There are two high seasons for the Sierra: from mid-October to mid-November and March through April. These months are the most popular because of the likelihood of moderate temperatures -- but even in these months, temperatures in the bottom of the canyon will be warm. Most canyon visitors stay up in the rim country. To avoid the crowds and get cheaper prices, I suggest going in August or September (the rainy season). During that time, barring drought, you'll find occasional afternoon thundershowers (very pretty in the canyon land), green vegetation, flowing water, and comfortable temperatures up along the rim. If you plan to do some serious hikes into the canyon, consider going in the winter, when temperatures at the bottom will be the least tropical. Avoid the Sierra from late April through June. This is the driest part of the year, with chronic water shortages in many of the towns and hotels; the vegetation is brown, and the canyons can be hazy.

Climate -- Los Mochis and El Fuerte are warm year-round. Chihuahua can be warm in summer, windy at almost any time, and freezing in winter. The canyon rim may experience freezes from November through March; the bottom of the canyon may get cool enough for a sweater. In the other half of the year, it's hot below and cool above.

Money Changing: Be Prepared -- Be sure to start the journey with adequate funds, because exchanging money outside of Creel is almost impossible; even credit cards are only good at the expensive hotels. (I won't use a credit card at some of the hotels listed in this guide because they use radio communication to the main office to confirm a card -- hardly a secure system.)

Train Essentials

First-class service between Chihuahua and Los Mochis operates daily in both directions. Departure times are listed below. Second-class trains also run daily. They stop more frequently than the first-class trains and are slower. First-class service has undergone major improvements. The passenger cars have been revamped, with clean bathrooms that work and improved seating and windows. (They already were air-conditioned in summer and heated in winter.) The train now hauls both a dining car and a club car. In addition, it makes fewer stops than before. The new owner, Ferromex (www.ferromex.com.mx), invested heavily in improving the tracks, making delays due to landslides less frequent. It has also spruced up some of the local stations.

The train makes 12 stops; this guide describes the five of principal interest to travelers. The schedule is a word problem that would gratify any high school algebra teacher: two trains depart from opposite ends of the line (Chihuahua and Los Mochis) at the same time (6am) to meet at point.

Actual times vary. The local people at each stop are well attuned to train times, so it's good to ask them. The stops are short except at El Divisadero, where you have 20 minutes to get out and walk down the steps to the overlook for a spectacular panorama of the canyon, and perhaps time to buy a trinket or a taco from one of the many vendors.

Delays -- Travelers may have to contend with delays because of landslides, minor derailments, or maintenance projects. Traveling in this region requires some flexibility and patience. In case of a major service interruption, you can travel on a highway that parallels the railway from Chihuahua as far as Cerocahui, but the final stretch from Cerocahui to El Fuerte is not much of an option because it requires four-wheel-drive.

Buying a Ticket -- The train offers no rail pass; you must buy a ticket for a particular day, point of departure, and destination. This is not usually a problem during the off season. You can buy a ticket for the first leg of your trip when you get to Los Mochis or Chihuahua, and then buy the rest each time you board the train. You're not going to have a guaranteed seat, but there's usually abundant seating during this part of the year. If you have an itinerary, you'll have guaranteed seating throughout the trip. You may not get to choose which seat, but that's a minor issue. Should you deviate from your itinerary, you can buy a new ticket at the local station or aboard the train. The cost of a ticket for the entire trip one-way is $130 (£72).

To reserve tickets ahead of time, call the railway directly (tel. 888/484-1623 in the U.S. or Canada, or 614/439-7212). A few days before your trip, you will need to call again to reconfirm your reservations. Then you can buy the tickets at the station the morning of your departure with cash or credit card (MasterCard or Visa). For more information, see www.chepe.com.mx. If you actually want to purchase tickets ahead of time, you can do so from a local travel agency in Chihuahua or Los Mochis. To start out in Chihuahua, contact Turismo al Mar (tel. 614/410-9232 or 416-5950; www.copper-canyon.net); from Los Mochis, contact Viajes Araceli (tel. 668/815-5780; fax 668/815-8787; ventasaracely@viajearacely.com) or Viajes Flamingo (tel. 668/812-1613; fax 668/812-0046; www.mexicoscoppercanyon.com). Travel agencies outside of Mexico sell tickets only as part of a package that includes transportation to the region and hotel accommodations. A wide variety of packages and custom trips are available. Look into these carefully before you book.

Which Direction Should I Travel? -- For sightseeing, Los Mochis, the western terminus, is the better starting place: The most scenic part of the 15- to 16-hour journey comes between El Fuerte and Bahuichivo/Cerocahui, which you are guaranteed to see in daylight if you come from Los Mochis. The train that starts in Chihuahua often gets to this area in darkness.