{"id":9662,"date":"2026-06-05T22:17:39","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T22:17:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.theblyde.com\/?p=9662"},"modified":"2026-06-05T22:17:39","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T22:17:39","slug":"all-aboard-mexicos-only-luxury-train-the-chepe-express","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.theblyde.com\/?p=9662","title":{"rendered":"All aboard Mexico’s only luxury train: The Chepe Express"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Travelling by train is very different to other forms of transport. You could even say it\u2019s a luxury of sorts. Unlike sitting on a plane, where you might gaze ahead at your route map or watch a movie, a journey by train is somehow quite different. It encourages you to look around a little more and I believe you consequently find yourself more immersed in the experience. And an excellent case in point is the Chepe Express Route that runs from the town of Creel to the Pacific coast of Mexico, crossing the Tarahumara Sierra in the process.<\/p>\n

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Creel can be found in Chihuahua, the largest state in Mexico, comparable in size to the UK. Arguably Mexico\u2019s best kept travel secret, Chihuahua is a world waiting to be discovered, with spectacular canyons, rivers, forests and UNESCO World Heritage archaeological sites.<\/p>\n

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And at the relaxing, pine-scented mountain town of Creel, about 7,700 feet above sea level in the western sierra of northern Mexico, you\u2019ll find yourself in the heartland of the Rar\u00e1muri people \u2013 the legendary ultra-runners who tackle massive distances in thin sandals made from old car tyres. Rather fittingly, the word word \u2018Rar\u00e1muri\u2019 means light-footed, and the people have a deep connection to the land that is reflected in their traditions and crafts. Visiting their communities offers a glimpse into a way of life that has endured for centuries.<\/p>\n

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One of Creel\u2019s main attractions is the nearby San Ignacio Mission, one of the most tranquil and rewarding visits of the journey, often paired with excursions to the Valley of the Monks, the lake Arareco and other sites very closely related to the Rar\u00e1muri people.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s from Creel that the Chepe Express \u2013 Mexico\u2019s only luxury train \u2013 winds its way down to the Pacific coast, covering around 350 kilometres of track. To truly appreciate this rail experience, travel First Class and enjoy exclusive access to the open air terrace and the Urike restaurant. <\/p>\n

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About two hours in, the train will come to a stop at Divisadero where everyone gets off. You absolutely have to as well, and walk right to the edge of the platform where you\u2019ll find the ground seemingly just vanishes. Three massive canyons\u2014Urique, Tararecua, and the main Copper Canyon\u2014all converge into one dizzying, jagged abyss. They say it\u2019s four times bigger than the Grand Canyon. <\/p>\n

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Once the whistle blows, and no doubt with your jaw still open wide in amazement, it\u2019s time to get back on board. This is an opportunity to try out the Urike dining car with its expansive glass sides. There is something delightfully surreal about enjoying a meal and sipping a surprisingly decent Mexican red wine, while a sheer vertical cliff face that has stood for millions of years glides past about two inches from your left shoulder. <\/p>\n

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The descent through Chihuahua is equally dramatic, perhaps made even more so if you have an interest in engineering since the train rattles over high bridges, plunges into pitch-black tunnels, and quite literally hugs the lip of a cliff.<\/p>\n

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In Cerocahui, another highlight of the journey, you can visit a boarding school run by nuns where Rar\u00e1muri girls study. You can also take walks to viewpoints like Cerro del Gallego, which offer striking views of the Urique Canyon. Here, the connection to rural life and the local community feels more personal.<\/p>\n

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The landscape as you cross into Sinaloa state is dominated by thick, humid, subtropical green valleys and the temperature in the carriage starts to rise. By the time the wheels grind to a halt in El Fuerte, the Alpine chill is completely gone. <\/p>\n

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This old Spanish colonial town is characterised by historic buildings and stone archways. At just 300 feet above sea level, the heat is much heavier and palm trees are commonplace. It feels a million miles away from the mountain air of Creel. <\/p>\n

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The final section of the Chepe Express Route is a flat run through farmland out to Los Mochis near the Sea of Cortez. Stepping off at the coast is in stark contrast to the start of the journey. It feels like you\u2019ve lived through three different seasons in a single afternoon. That\u2019s why travelling by train \u2013 and particularly travelling the Chepe Express Route \u2013 is such an immersive experience.<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s one that enables you to appreciate the huge scale of Mexico and, being able to do this at a relaxed pace, is possibly the biggest luxury of all. Not only that, but the route also offers connections to complementary destinations along the Sea of Cortez and the Baja California Peninsula.<\/p>\n

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by \u00a1Ah, Chihuahua!<\/em><\/p>\n

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Paul Johnson<\/h3>\n

Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel \u2018Best Travel Influencer\u2019 Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted \u201cone of the world\u2019s best travel blogs\u201d and \u201cbest for luxury\u201d by The Telegraph.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Source: https:\/\/www.aluxurytravelblog.com\/2026\/06\/05\/all-aboard-mexicos-only-luxury-train-the-chepe-express\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Travelling by train is very different to other forms of transport. You could even say it\u2019s a luxury of sorts. Unlike sitting on a plane, where you might gaze ahead at your route map or watch a movie, a journey by train is somehow quite different. It encourages you to look around a little more […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9663,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.theblyde.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9662","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.theblyde.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.theblyde.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.theblyde.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.theblyde.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9662"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.theblyde.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9662\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.theblyde.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9663"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.theblyde.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9662"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.theblyde.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9662"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.theblyde.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}