A Guide to El Chepe, the Copper Canyon Train
Experience
Written by:
Dave Pratt
Partner
Key takeaways
Two trains: the Chepe Express runs the scenic section between Los Mochis and Creel in about 9 hours 40 minutes. The Chepe Regional covers the whole line from Chihuahua city.
The line: it climbs from near sea level to about 2,400 m, runs through 86 tunnels and across 37 major bridges, and opened in November 1961.
Stops: Divisadero has the canyon viewpoint and a 3 km cable car, Creel is the base for the Sierra Tarahumara, and El Fuerte is a colonial town on the Sinaloa end.
Booking: Express tickets are sold on chepe.mx up to 364 days ahead, and up to three stopovers can be added at no extra cost.
Season: September to November is green and mild, while December to February brings frost and sometimes snow in the sierra.
The Chihuahua al Pacífico railroad
El Chepe is the passenger service on the Chihuahua al Pacífico railroad, which crosses the Sierra Madre Occidental between Chihuahua city and Los Mochis in Sinaloa. Sections of the line were being built by the late 1890s, the Mexican Revolution and the rugged terrain slowed construction for decades, and President Adolfo López Mateos inaugurated the finished line on November 24, 1961. Ferromex has operated it since 1998.
The scenery is in the middle of the route. Between El Fuerte and Creel the track climbs out of the Sinaloa lowlands to about 2,400 m, looping back on itself and crossing deep gorges along the edge of the Barrancas del Cobre. It's a system of several canyons, often described as roughly four times the area of the Grand Canyon, with Urique, its deepest, close to 1,900 m deep.
Chepe Express vs Chepe Regional
Chepe Express | Chepe Regional | |
|---|---|---|
Route | Los Mochis to Creel, more than 350 km | Chihuahua city to Los Mochis, the full line |
Journey time | About 9 hours 40 minutes | About 15.5 hours |
Days | Los Mochis to Creel: Mon, Thu, Sat; Creel to Los Mochis: Tue, Fri, Sun | Chihuahua to Los Mochis: Tue, Sat; Los Mochis to Chihuahua: Wed, Sun |
On board | Three classes (Turista, Ejecutiva, Primera), two dining cars, a bar car, and a terrace car for Primera passengers | A single tourist class and 16 stops |
Booking | Online at chepe.mx | Call center or station ticket offices only |
The Regional also stops at Cuauhtémoc and Témoris, which the Express skips. Between Creel and Los Mochis, though, Regional seats are sold only to passengers who already hold a longer Chepe Express booking, so for most visitors the Express is the train to ride.
The 2026 Chepe Express timetable
Eastbound, the Express leaves Los Mochis at 7 a.m., reaches El Fuerte at 9:20, Bahuichivo at 2:25 p.m., Divisadero at 4:15, and Creel at 5:40. Westbound, it leaves Creel at 8 a.m. and arrives in Los Mochis at 4:40 p.m. Sinaloa is an hour behind Chihuahua, so it's worth checking which zone a time is in. The official timetable also notes that in some months the train runs only Thursday to Sunday, so confirm the calendar before booking.
Where to stop along the way
Up to three stopovers can be added to an Express ticket at no extra cost if they're booked in advance, as long as you stay at least two nights in each place, according to Chepe's FAQ.
El Fuerte. A colonial town named for a fort built in 1610, and the first stop out of Los Mochis. Visitors kayak the Río Fuerte at dawn or dusk to see birds and wildlife, and walk out to the petroglyphs at Cerro de la Máscara.
Bahuichivo and Cerocahui. Cerocahui, 18 km from the station, grew around a Jesuit mission founded in 1680. The Cerro del Gallego lookout, about 45 minutes from Cerocahui by road, looks down into the Urique canyon and the village at its floor.
Divisadero. The train makes a short stop here, and the viewpoint looks over the Urique, Tararecua, and Copper canyons. Also at Divisadero, the Parque de Aventura Barrancas del Cobre runs a 3 km cable car, a circuit of seven zip lines, and the ZipRider, a single 2,554 m line. The park publishes maintenance dates, so check them before planning a visit around it.
Creel. The main town of the Sierra Tarahumara, at about 2,240 m. Nearby are the rock formations of the Valle de los Hongos and Valle de los Monjes, Lake Arareko in the Rarámuri community of San Ignacio Arareko, and the Cusárare mission. Basaseachi Falls, at 246 m the second highest in Mexico, is a full day trip by road.
The Rarámuri
The Sierra Tarahumara is home to the Rarámuri, whose name the Spanish rendered as Tarahumara. Tens of thousands of Rarámuri live in the sierra, many in scattered communities across the canyons, and Rarámuri is the most widely spoken Indigenous language in Chihuahua. The community has a long tradition of long-distance running, and Rarámuri women often sell baskets and other handcrafts to passengers at Divisadero.
When to ride the Copper Canyon train
The sierra and the coast don't share a climate. Mornings at the top of the line are cool all year, with average summer lows in Creel of about 10 °C, while Los Mochis and El Fuerte are hot for most of it.
The rainy season runs from June to September, and July and August are high season for fares. September to November is the pick of the year: the canyons are still green after the rains and the temperatures are mild. March to May is pleasant but dry and dusty. From December to February, average lows in the sierra are below freezing, the coldest nights can drop below -5 °C, and snow is possible.
Travel advisories for Chihuahua and Sinaloa
The US State Department advisory for Mexico rates Chihuahua at Level 3, Reconsider Travel, and restricts US government employees from traveling to the Copper Canyon area. Sinaloa, where Los Mochis and El Fuerte are, is at Level 4, Do Not Travel, though US government employees may fly into Los Mochis. Service on the line has also been interrupted at times by blockades and landslides. It's best to check the current advisory and the Chepe service notices before booking.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Copper Canyon train ride?
The Chepe Express takes about 9 hours 40 minutes between Los Mochis and Creel. The Chepe Regional takes about 15.5 hours for the full route from Chihuahua city to Los Mochis.
What is the difference between the Chepe Express and the Chepe Regional?
The Express is the tourist train, running Los Mochis to Creel with dining and bar cars and three classes. The Regional covers the whole line from Chihuahua city, stops more often, and is booked by phone or at the station.
Which side of the train has the best views?
Views switch sides as the track winds through the canyons. A Primera class ticket on the Express includes access to the terrace car, which is built for viewing the scenery.
Can you get off the Copper Canyon train and continue later?
Yes. The Chepe Express allows up to three stopovers at no extra cost if they're booked in advance, with a minimum of two nights at each stop.
What is the best month to ride El Chepe?
October's a good choice. The summer rains have left the canyons green, temperatures are mild, and the July and August high-season fares have ended.
