From London to Bahia Blanca

[elhombresinnombre]

They have new Chinese rolling stock. You're right all dining car service has been downgraded in Argentina. Best to take as much food as you can. Was it easy to get a ticket in the sleeper? And could you comment on the temperature in your compartment? I find trains here usually too warm.

1) Yes and no
2) Yes and no

To elaborate a little
I was out of the country at the time we made the booking. At the booking office in Retiro there was just one compartment shown as available but they wouldn't accept the booking without sight of my original documentation - which was out of the country with me. However, book on-line and they accept an uploaded document scan - reconcile that, if you will - and by the time we had organised all that and uploaded everything there was still just one compartment free.

According to the scrolling temperature guage at the end of the carriage it maintained a steady 19-20deg C in the sleeping car but once, in the dining car, the temperature climbed up to 25degC before it crawled back down again.

 

[sergio]

1) Yes and no
2) Yes and no

To elaborate a little
I was out of the country at the time we made the booking. At the booking office in Retiro there was just one compartment shown as available but they wouldn't accept the booking without sight of my original documentation - which was out of the country with me. However, book on-line and they accept an uploaded document scan - reconcile that, if you will - and by the time we had organised all that and uploaded everything there was still just one compartment free.

According to the scrolling temperature guage at the end of the carriage it maintained a steady 19-20deg C in the sleeping car but once, in the dining car, the temperature climbed up to 25degC before it crawled back down again.

Thanks. HOW far in advance did you book?
I take it the food was bad so best to take along as much food as possible,
18-20 C is really comfortable. Surprised it was not HOT in the sleeper.
Just one sleeper on the train? One toilet at the end of the hall? Clean?

 

[elhombresinnombre]

Thanks. HOW far in advance did you book?
I take it the food was bad so best to take along as much food as possible,
18-20 C is really comfortable. Surprised it was not HOT in the sleeper.
Just one sleeper on the train? One toilet at the end of the hall? Clean?

About six weeks, I think.

The dinner menu was a joke: most people who ordered the meal left most of it on their plate. The cafe con leche was neither cafe or leche and... and... and.. HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE ANY MEDIALUNAS FOR SALE????

I think just one coach. There was one coach behind us that I had no occasion to investigate but I think it was a furgon. All the coaches towards the engine were seating of different classes and the buffet car

Each coach had a male toilet and female toilet in stainless steel and outside in the corridor a bank of stainless steel wash basins and a supply of hot and cold drinking water from a dispenser. It was all kept scrupulously clean by the train staff.

 

[sergio]

About six weeks, I think.

The dinner menu was a joke: most people who ordered the meal left most of it on their plate. The cafe con leche was neither cafe or leche and... and... and.. HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE ANY MEDIALUNAS FOR SALE????

I think just one coach. There was one coach behind us that I had no occasion to investigate but I think it was a furgon. All the coaches towards the engine were seating of different classes and the buffet car

Each coach had a male toilet and female toilet in stainless steel and outside in the corridor a bank of stainless steel wash basins and a supply of hot and cold drinking water from a dispenser. It was all kept scrupulously clean by the train staff.

During day time did the attendant put the upper berth up?
Could you open the window - probably not I imagine.

 

[steveinbsas]

For those who earn or have savings in foreign currency, it’s a great time to move actually now that it’s got cheaper. Even La Nación released an article just yesterday entitled “How to earn an income in USD.”

It is, of course, very sad that this is at the expense of the quality of life of 99% of the population declining, but I wouldn’t say it’s a bad time to move for foreign currency earners/holders.

So, does this mean you and your husband are digital nomads who chose Bahia Blanca, Argentina as a place to live with having to earn a local income?

Unless one of you has a job that requires relocation to Bahia Blanca, or one of you grew up there and has strong familiar ties and/or inherited property in the area, I cannot fathom how you could make such a decision.

It is, of course, very sad that this is at the expense of the quality of life of 99% of the population declining, but I wouldn’t say it’s a bad time to move for foreign currency earners/holders.

It will be if/when even a small fraction of the 99% see newly arriving foreign currency earners/holders as a source of "income" to improve the quality of their lives.

 

[semigoodlookin]

The cheapest seats on board the train are only ARS700 but there are lots of reasons why I wouldn't recommend traveling that way

Could you please elaborate on some of those reasons? I have been considering long distance train travel here and in other countries would not mind travelling on the cheaper tickets, but your post suggests there are some concerns when doing that here.

 

[elhombresinnombre]

During day time did the attendant put the upper berth up?
Could you open the window - probably not I imagine.

The upper berth was easy to raise and lower by oneself. Not the same mechanism that I remember from the old trains.The attendant just delivered and later collected the bedding. Top tip: sort out which lower sheet fits on the upper bunk before you try to make up the beds: they are different.

The window in the air-conditioned sleeping compartment did not open but windows elsewhere did - but not in a head-sticky-outy way.

 

[elhombresinnombre]

Could you please elaborate on some of those reasons? I have been considering long distance train travel here and in other countries would not mind travelling on the cheaper tickets, but your post suggests there are some concerns when doing that here.

Not exactly concerns. My experiences in the past of travelling with the very poorest of people have been humbling to say the least. But sixty or more people in the same "room" for a day and a half without a shower???? That first journey in 2010 I had a sleeping compartment to myself and it got a bit boring: even with all of Argentina passing by outside. I'd have preferred to have interacted with more of the other passengers. If I were travelling on my own again I think I'd put up with the gathering -erme- ripeness in the air in exchange for conversation. But with a companion I think the sleeping compartment is the way to go.

 

[sergio]

Not exactly concerns. My experiences in the past of travelling with the very poorest of people have been humbling to say the least. But sixty or more people in the same "room" for a day and a half without a shower???? That first journey in 2010 I had a sleeping compartment to myself and it got a bit boring: even with all of Argentina passing by outside. I'd have preferred to have interacted with more of the other passengers. If I were travelling on my own again I think I'd put up with the gathering -erme- ripeness in the air in exchange for conversation. But with a companion I think the sleeping compartment is the way to go.

There is always the restaurant car for meeting people. Nothing stopping you from walking through the chair cars and chatting. Trans-continetnal trains in the US take three nights. More across Canada. Some people enjoy the experience; others want to get there fast.
What I don't like about the description of the new sleepers is that apparently there is no running water in the rooms (I believe there was a sink in the older train compartments) so you apparently have to wash up and shave in the hall.