Monday, January 1, 2024

Cab ride Curitiba - Morretes (Serra Verde Express, Brazil)

 

Producer's notes:

The Curitiba - Morretes railway line, operated by the Serra Verde Express group, is a famous tourist train in southern Brazil, which runs from the capital of the state of Paraná, Curitiba, to the city of Morretes, on the coast of the same state. 

It is one of the best train rides in the world, according to The Guardian and The Wall Street Journal. 

The line from Paranaguá to Curitiba is centuries old, having been built between 1880 and 1884. The work was divided into three parts: Paranaguá-Morretes, Morretes-Roça Nova and Roça Nova-Curitiba. The railroad was designed by the first black engineers in Brazil, the Rebouças brothers. 

The construction, headed by engineer João Teixeira Soares, was a milestone in Brazilian engineering, as it involved crossing the Serra do Mar, an inhospitable territory of closed forest, with no access and full of mountains. This narrow-gauge railroad is single-track and departs from the metropolis of Curitiba, 934 meters above sea level. 

This train journey passes through beautiful forests and rolling hills and travels alongside sparkling rivers and lakes. A British writer gave this description of the line in 1917: "The summit is reached at 952 meters after a 40-km. rise.... 

The track of 1-metre gauge winds cleverly up a series of foothills and side spurs, finishing with a tight-rope performance along the upper Serra cliffs on viaducts which stick out over sheer drops of 305 meters. The line has hardly 50 metres of track without a curve, and the views seaward are particularly fine." The approximately four-hour journey on the Serra Verde Express train takes passengers through 13 tunnels and over 30 bridges, including the Viaduto do Carvalho, with views of the vibrant green rainforest all the way. It is the most beautiful train ride in Brazil and takes you into the heart of the largest Atlantic Rainforest reserve in the world. 

More information about Serra Verde Express and the trip: https://serraverdeexpress.com.br/

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