About this journey

Salta station is the starting point of a line known locally as the Huaytiquina — a name drawn from an ancient Andean mountain pass between Argentina and Chile. Construction of the railway began in 1921 with the dual purpose of linking northern Argentina across the Andes with Chile and serving the region's borax mines. The complete line was inaugurated on 20 February 1948, after the Chilean section had opened the previous year in 1947. The route was designed by American engineer Richard Maury, born in 1882 and died in 1950, who is commemorated by a monument at Campo Quijano station itself.

From Salta the suburban service follows part of the Lerma Valley, passing through towns including Cerrillos and Rosario de Lerma before reaching its terminus at Campo Quijano. Beyond Campo Quijano, the full line extends into remarkable engineering territory — two zig-zags at El Alisal and Chorrillos, and two spiral loops between Tacuara and Diego de Almagro — though those features lie outside this journey. Today the corridor carries freight transporting minerals such as lithium carbonate, borax, and brine, alongside the suburban trains seen here and the celebrated Tren a las Nubes tourist service, which continues all the way to the La Polvorilla viaduct at 4,220 metres above sea level.