panama canal railway

This is a great trip. Go with a guide or tour company. Colon is a very old port city with sailors and others arriving after many days at sea from both oceans. The huge free trade zone brings in buyers from all over the world. Do not go alone. Go in a group. And better, with a tour company/guide. Don't miss the best of this trip. Yes, Colon, is old and dirty etc. However, go through Colon on to Portobello - a World Heritage Site -the old fort, the pirates used to hide here, Captain Morgan, etc. The museum is wonderful. Black Christ Church is fascinating. The clothes worn during the walk from Colon to Portobello. A couple of great fonda's and a nice little sourvenier/clothing store. The history is amazing! The tours then take you to the Caribbean side for a swim and lunch. You return to the City via the Train. The train ride is great - along the side of the canal - you see a lot of wildlife, Lake Gatun, and many ships passing through the canal. It is a must do if in Panama.

Took the train from Panama City to Colon this morning. The ride was fun and comfortable. I expected some guide or history lesson but i guess thats not included on the train.When we arrived in Colon we were very sad to see the city in such disrepair. It was obvious that no one had taken care of this city since the Canal was finished. Slums everywhere and nothing for tourists to do. We walked through the city despite the warnings that it wasn't safe and felt like all eyes were on us. We pressed on to touch the Caribbean Sea which we did but it was beach covered in garbage. It was a very disappointing trip even though the train ride was fun. To get back to Panama City we paid a taxi driver 80 USD rather than waiting all day until the train took us back. There is nothing to do in this city and I would not recommend anyone going.

If you only have a day to "see Panama", this is a good choice, though you really just get to see trees and water enroute from Colon to Panama City. This was offered as a day trip on a Panama Canal cruise. We got to sit in the glass domed car with snacks for purchase, which were reasonable in price. You could pay in American dollars. The seats were pretty comfortable, though we chose to spend most of the trip standing out between the cars where the window was down so we could take photos. There was also a lengthy delay before we started, waiting for another train to get off the rails. Our tour guide was excellent and told lots of interesting stories, but don't expect that unless you've booked a tour. For most Panamanians, this is just a form of transportation. We were able to leave the train by bus to get a windshield tour of the city. I would only suggest this if you really love trains. The only wildlife we saw was one sloth, but the scenery was green.

At $25.- the ride from Panama City to Colon in the fully restored vintage coaches is a must. Great views of the canal and jungle from the open side viewing platforms in each coach.

If you like trains, this is a nice ride through the countryside. You don`t see a lot of the canal, but you do get a couple of glimpses. Saw some construction of the new canal as well. They do make announcements on the train to point out the various sites along the way. The ride is just a bit over an hour. We were delayed on the train at the start for about 20 minutes in order to wait for a freight train to pass. There is an open air section at the front of the car where you can get really good views. Even inside the windows are very large and the seats are very comfortable and lots of room. The train was very clean and it seems authentic (not touristy). You got a box lunch which was a sandwich and some snacks. The lunch was very bland. The train stations themselves having nothing around them. We were part of a cruise ship excursion so we took a bus back. The train gives you the opportunity to say you crossed Panama and saw both oceans in the same day. The train stops in a small town outside of Panama city, you still would need to book other travel to get right to the coast if you are not part of a cruise excursion.

THis is a blast. The railway funds along the canal from ocean to ocean. there are several stops along the way and you can get a good idea of the topography , the wild life and the remoteness of this place. The natural scenic beauty come through and a great spot for pictures, You get a chance to see the Atlantic side in Colon, not the greatest place but excellent for shopping.

I had gone through the canal a couple of years ago on a cruise boat and really loved it. On this recent cruise we just stopped at Colon, Panama and being a train buff I wanted to take this historic train across the Isthmus of Panama to Panama City. The train trip was fine and I enjoyed it as it accomplished what I wanted to do. You don't see much except for parts of Lake Gatun and very little bit of the canal and a whole lot of jungle. If you want to see the canal take a tour, don't take this train. A lot of people on the train I talked to were very disappointed that they didn't see much of the canal. Some of the photos added to this review are not taken from the train, and are very misleading. I think the trip is overpriced for what it is but it accomplished what I wanted to do so I was ok with it. Unless you're a train enthusiast I wouldn't recommend this train trip.

The railway drops you off in Colon which is not a good place to be. The people on the railroad try to get you off the train and out of the fenced compound asap. They don't want to hng around there either. Train ride was nice, leaving a 7:30 Panama City time and taking about an hour. They give you a half cup of coffee on the train because thats all you have time for. Historicly interesting but thats all. If you wanted to ride back it would cost you another $25.00 perperson and it doesn't leave untill 5:30 so you are stuck there in Colon all day.

We took this tour while taking a Princess Cruise. The train is very clean the guide was very friendly and super funny, and talked to everybody on board and explained in detail what we were seeing. They have snacks, drinks and bathrooms on board. There is the dome car which we took and the regular cars. The dome cars are a must the windows that curve up to the top of the train car. I found the tour very good, however I do think it is over priced for what you see and get.

We took the train from Colon to Panama City, and I must say I was disappointed. Yes the history of the railway is fascinating, but that's about it. Aside from the scenery at the beginning, there is not much to see on this train ride, mostly just trees. For the price, its not worth it.

This tour you need to do!You will learn so much and see stuff that probably you will never see anywhere else.Takes like 30 or 40 min to see everything, and stay to watch a boat (or cruise is you have time) pass thru the canal. Real nice to see!

We've all heard of the Panama Canal, but how many of us have heard of the Panama Canal Railway? I never had until I recently visited Panama. Of course, we sailed through the Canal on our cruise ship, but an equally interesting bonus of our trip was sightseeing the area aboard a train traveling through the nearby countryside. The cars were built in 1938, while the track itself was built in 1855. Cars are furnished with comfortable booth seating and tables, and walls are decorated in wood paneling with lamps. Passengers are given individual snack boxes; beverages are available for purchase. Our car did not have glass-domed ceilings, but there are cars that do. Our guide explained what we were seeing along the way. One interesting sight was the prison where Manuel Noriega is serving time. (My husband colorfully termed the facility a rat hole due to its decrepit appearance.) Our tour was reserved through our cruise line and ran $159, but a similar trip on the domed cars ran $219. Outdoor platforms separated cars and were suitable for photography. The trip itself ran 6 hours, although the two sections of the trip (out and back) were separated with a bus trip. All in all, it was money well spent.

We rode from Colon to Panama City and it was a beautiful trip. Had seats in the dome car but ended up on the observation deck most of the trip. Was fun to have the wind blowing on us and to see the views with no window blur. Sights along the way include marshes, jungle, the dredging, ships on the lake, sunset, and even the prison where General Noriega is held! I highly recommend this trip if you in any way like trains! It was also just fun to travel from the Caribbean to Pacific in less than one hour.

We really enjoyed this short train trip. The trains old and lovely. Don't see that much of the canal, but the simple experience of being there was worth it. We also needed to be in Colon at its arrival time, so pleasure was mixed with need. A happy coincidence.

This was a nice train ride to the city of Colon. The train ends in a parking lot. There is not much around. We had a driver pick us up because the train back did not leave until late afternoon. You need to have transportation or take taxi once in Colon. Overall it was a relaxing morning on the train for my kids. They have snacks you can purchase on board. Arrive early to get a good seat.