Precautions taking the Tren a las Nubes

I would really like to once ride with the tren a las Nubes. Wikipedia says the tour takes 15 hours, but I can't find any information on where to buy tickets and if reservation is necessary. And how much does it cost?

The highest point on the route is over 4200 meters. Do I need to take any special precautions because of this height? Normally if I go climbing in the Alps it is necessary to prepare when going above 4000 meters. But in this case, it is only a passive activity and most important only for a short period. I think you can only get really altitude sick after approximately 6 hours. So it shouldn't be a problem in this case?

Best Answer

Please, do be careful with the altitude; I've had some horror stories.

Generally it's considered that above 2400m things start getting interesting. It's definitely worth acclimatising for a couple of days if you're doing anything physical at that altitude.

However, as you point out, it's a passive activity for a short period of time. Perhaps take some anti-altitude sickness pills or cocoa leaves beforehand, to help with any symptoms.

But as long as you're not over-stressing your body, and don't have anything too physical planned for the preceding or following day, you should be ok.