Urbina
The highest point of the railway, at the foot of Chimborazo
2 routes
Routes that ran through
Stop
Intermediate stop · highest point of the line
3.609 m
Altitude
Chimborazo
Province
Urbina station
The Urbina station is the highest of the entire Trans-Andean Railway, at 3,609 m above sea level, in Chimborazo province. It is a stop on the Tren Crucero and the Ice Train. It sits at the foot of Chimborazo, the highest mountain in Ecuador and the point on the Earth’s surface farthest from the planet’s centre.
Here lives Baltazar Ushca, known as “the last ice merchant of Chimborazo”, who still extracts ice from the glacier in the traditional way. The surroundings belong to the Chimborazo Wildlife Production Reserve, where you can see vicuñas and high-altitude páramos. It is the coldest and most awe-inspiring stretch of the journey.
Where is Urbina station?
Urbina station is located in Urbina, Chimborazo. Coordinates: 1.5000° S, 78.7300° W.
What to see and do nearby
Points of interest a short distance from Urbina.
Other stations on the Tren Crucero
Tren Crucero
Other stations on the Ice Train (Tren del Hielo)
Station facilities
The stations of the Trans-Andean Railway preserve their historic architecture, with a ticket office, waiting room and platform. Here is what you will find at this station.
Connections from Urbina
Tren Crucero — Quito (Chimbacalle) ↔ Durán (Guayaquil) · service suspended. Days: Scheduled departures (high season), in both directions.
Ice Train (Tren del Hielo) — Riobamba ↔ Urbina (Chimborazo) · service suspended. Days: Historically weekends and public holidays.
Interchange station. Several railway routes met here (Tren Crucero, Ice Train (Tren del Hielo)), making it an important point on the network.
Getting there. Urbina is linked by road to nearby towns; outside the station you will find taxis and public transport.
Plan your journey — use our route planner to see which route connects Urbina with other stations.
Bookmark this Trans-Andean Railway guide
We update trenecuador.org as soon as there is news: route reopenings, schedules and fares for the segments still running, and updates on Ecuador's railway heritage. Save it and come back before planning your train trip.