Scenic Train ride to historical cities of Morretes and Antonina

The best part of this full-day outing is the historic train ride from Curitiba to Morretes, where 19th-century tracks cut through the Serra do Mar and its Atlantic rainforest. You pass high bridges, tunnels, gorges, rivers, and waterfalls before reaching a small colonial town on the coast.

I like two things especially: the trip pairs the railway with a proper taste of Paraná, including slow-cooked barreado served with rice, banana, oranges, and manioc flour; and the return drive uses the scenic Estrada da Graciosa when weather allows. The main drawback is pace. Morretes deserves more than the allotted time, while Antonina can feel like a very short stop.

Key details before you book

• The railway is the star: The Paranaguá-Curitiba Railway opened in 1884 and includes more than 41 bridges, 13 tunnels, viaducts, and hundreds of smaller bridge structures.
• The day begins early: Hotel pickup is around 7:00 a.m., with arrival back in Curitiba expected around 4:30 p.m.
• Lunch is local and filling: Barreado is beef cooked for many hours in a sealed clay pot, served with traditional accompaniments and breaded fish.
• Language support has limits: A bilingual guide is available in the train carriage in Portuguese, English, or Spanish, but full-day guiding in your chosen language is not guaranteed.
• The tour is busy but manageable: The maximum group size is 30 people, and the day includes train travel, walking, lunch, a model park, and a road transfer.
• The price covers a lot: At $128.40 per person, you get hotel transfers, the train ticket, onboard snack and drink, lunch, guiding, town visits, HISGEOPAR, and the return ride.

Why this train journey matters

This is not simply a scenic railway ride. The route follows the Paranaguá-Curitiba Railway, an important engineering project from the late 19th century. Its inaugural journey took place in 1884 with Princess Isabel, and the line still crosses the Serra do Mar between mountain slopes and river valleys.

The train moves through one of southern Brazil’s best-preserved stretches of Atlantic rainforest. Look for steep green hills, narrow ravines, waterfalls, and sudden openings toward the valleys. The scenery changes constantly, but cloudy or rainy weather can hide the wider views. Even in poor weather, the old railway, tunnels, and bridges give the ride plenty of character.

The train portion usually lasts several hours, so you should expect a real railway outing rather than a quick scenic shuttle. Some departures may be delayed by stops or railway operations. Bring patience, especially if you are hoping to reach Morretes at a precise time.

You receive a snack and a soft drink or bottled water onboard. The train can become warm, and the ride is long enough that loose clothing and a small amount of personal water are sensible. Seating is arranged within your carriage, and you can move around your section when permitted.

From Curitiba hotels to the railway station

Pickup begins around 7:00 a.m. from most Curitiba hotels. The exact time is confirmed after booking, so you should check the final instructions carefully and be ready early. This is especially important because the train departure is tied to a fixed railway schedule.

The first part of the outing is by bus or minibus to the station. This transfer is useful because it removes the need to find parking, navigate Curitiba traffic, or work out the train departure on your own. It also means the morning starts early, so this is not a good choice if you prefer a leisurely breakfast.

The group can include up to 30 people. That is large enough to create some waiting during boarding, but still small enough for a guide to keep the day organized. Make sure your booking information is accurate. Passenger names, birth dates, and passport or Brazilian identification details are required for the official passenger list.

The Serra do Mar railway ride

Once onboard, the route becomes the main event. The train follows tracks built in the 19th century through the ecological reserve of Serra do Mar. Along the way, the railway crosses more than 41 bridges, 13 tunnels, and several major viaducts, including Ponte São João and Viaduto do Carvalho.

The scenery is best appreciated from the windows rather than through constant commentary. You pass forest-covered slopes, canyons, streams, and waterfalls, with the train sometimes moving along dramatic sections of track above the valleys. Keep your camera ready, but do not spend the whole ride looking at a screen.

The onboard language arrangement deserves careful attention. Portuguese is the main language of the tour, while English or Spanish commentary is available in the train carriage if you select it when booking. That support may be strongest during the railway portion. Once you reach the towns and other stops, your guide may not be able to provide full commentary in English or Spanish.

This point matters if you want detailed explanations throughout the day. English and Spanish speakers should confirm the language option before paying and ask exactly where that guide will meet the group. Several problems reported on this route have involved language expectations, missed pickup arrangements, or confusion about the selected carriage.

Morretes, colonial streets, and a rushed hour and a half

Morretes is the most satisfying town stop. Its streets include colonial houses, churches, craft stalls, and small shops selling local products. The town has an easygoing feel, and its setting beside the Nhundiaquara River makes it a pleasant contrast to the long train ride.

You have about 1 hour and 30 minutes for the historic center and lunch-related activities. That sounds generous until you account for getting off the train, gathering the group, walking through town, and sitting down for the meal. If you want time to browse crafts, photograph old buildings, and enjoy lunch without rushing, use your free minutes carefully.

A guide-led walk is included, but the amount of historical explanation can vary with the guide and language arrangements. I would listen closely at the beginning, then note any place you want to revisit on your own if you return to Morretes another day.

The town is also where the food becomes central to the outing. Lunch is served beside the Nhundiaquara River, making this more than a standard stop at a highway restaurant.

Barreado beside the Nhundiaquara River

Barreado is Paraná’s signature coastal dish, and this is one of the best reasons to include Morretes in your plans. Beef is cooked slowly for many hours in a clay pot. The pot is sealed with manioc flour and water, which keeps the steam inside and leaves the meat soft enough to fall apart.

The dish arrives with rice, sliced banana, orange, and manioc flour. Breaded fish is served on the side. It is hearty, traditional, and quite different from the quick grilled meals common on many day trips.

Lunch is included, but beverages and dessert are not. Read the menu and settle the drink arrangements before ordering so the final bill does not surprise you. The included meal is substantial, and the riverside setting gives you a welcome break from the timetable.

This is also the part of the day where you may notice the limits of a group tour. Lunch lasts about 1 hour and 10 minutes, so there is not much room for a long meal followed by extended shopping. If food is one of your main reasons for visiting Morretes, the tour gives you a good introduction, but an overnight stay would offer a slower taste of the town.

HISGEOPAR and Paraná in miniature

After Morretes, the itinerary includes Parana Encantado HISGEOPAR, a small historical and geographical model park. The display uses moving figures to show colonization and work practices in Paraná.

You also see miniature versions of the railway, a locomotive, Itaipu Dam, and Iguazu Falls. The Itaipu model includes an opening and closing system that shows the area before and after the flooding of the Seven Falls.

Allow about 30 minutes. This is not an amusement park, despite the word park in some descriptions. Think of it as a compact educational exhibition. It works best if you enjoy models, regional history, and mechanical displays. If you mainly want more time in Morretes or more forest scenery, this stop may feel less essential.

Still, it gives useful context to the region. After seeing the railway in full size, the miniature version helps you understand how roads, rivers, dams, towns, and rail lines fit together across Paraná.

A quick look at Antonina

Antonina is a historic coastal town with old streets, a waterfront, small shops, and handmade sweets, including banana-based products. The stop is short, around 20 minutes, so you should treat it as a brief orientation rather than a full town visit.

You may have enough time to walk a little, look along the shore, or buy a small sweet. You will not have time for a careful museum visit, an extended café stop, or a relaxed exploration of side streets. Some versions of the day have emphasized a shop or ice cream stop more than the town itself.

That makes Antonina the weakest part of the schedule for many people. If you enjoy quiet coastal towns, you may wish the tour gave you more time there. If you would rather explore Morretes in depth, you may feel that the 20 minutes in Antonina could have been added to the first town.

The return through Estrada da Graciosa

The return to Curitiba is by van, bus, or minibus rather than train. When weather and road conditions permit, the vehicle follows Estrada da Graciosa, one of Brazil’s most scenic old roads.

The route includes curves and stretches of historic stone paving. It can be bumpy, and the journey may feel long after a full day of sightseeing. That is the tradeoff for seeing a different side of the region rather than simply retracing the train route.

Bad weather can change the plan. For safety, the operator may use the BR-277 highway instead. You should not book this outing solely for a guaranteed drive along Estrada da Graciosa, because weather can remove that section from the day.

Arrival in Curitiba is expected around 4:30 p.m., though train delays, road conditions, and group movement can affect the timing. Avoid scheduling a tight evening flight or nonrefundable dinner reservation immediately afterward.

Is $128.40 a fair price?

At $128.40 per person, the price is not cheap, but it covers the expensive pieces of a complicated day. You receive hotel pickup and return, the train ticket, onboard snack and drink, a professional Portuguese-speaking guide, lunch, town visits, the HISGEOPAR admission, and road transportation back to Curitiba.

A self-organized version would require arranging transport to the station, buying the railway ticket, planning your return from Morretes, and working out how to reach Antonina and HISGEOPAR. The package is especially useful if you do not speak Portuguese or do not want to manage several transport connections.

The value drops if you mainly want a long, quiet train ride. Much of the price pays for the full-day logistics and multiple stops, not only the railway seat. It also drops if your selected language support is not delivered as expected, so confirm the language and carriage before departure.

The train is the reason to book. Morretes and barreado make the day worthwhile. Antonina and HISGEOPAR add variety, but they also make the schedule more crowded.

Who should book this day trip?

I would recommend it to first-time visitors based in Curitiba who want to see the coast without changing hotels. It suits people who enjoy railways, mountain scenery, regional food, colonial towns, and guided transport.

Families can manage the day, and most people can participate. The main challenge is stamina. You leave early, spend hours on a train, walk through town, eat on a schedule, transfer by road, and may arrive tired.

This is less suitable if you want independent exploration, quiet photography, long meals, or detailed guiding in English or Spanish at every stop. It is also not ideal for anyone who dislikes winding roads or has a strict evening schedule.

Book at least 24 hours ahead if your plans are firm. The experience is often reserved weeks in advance, and the tour has limited capacity. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time, but changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted.

My recommendation

I would book this tour for the railway, rainforest, Morretes lunch, and easy transport. Those parts give you a strong day outside Curitiba and a real taste of Paraná rather than a generic sightseeing loop.

Go in with realistic expectations. Morretes gets too little time, Antonina is very brief, the return drive can be tiring, and language support may be concentrated in the train carriage. If you accept that tradeoff, the route offers an unusually good mix of history, scenery, engineering, and food for one day.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The experience lasts approximately nine hours. Pickup begins around 7:00 a.m., and the expected return to Curitiba is about 4:30 p.m.

Where does the tour start?

Pickup is provided from most hotels in Curitiba. The exact departure time is confirmed after booking.

Does the tour include the train ticket?

Yes. The package includes the train ticket from Curitiba to Morretes and onboard service with a snack and a soft drink or bottled water.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch beside the Nhundiaquara River is included. It features barreado with rice, banana, oranges, manioc flour, and breaded fish.

Are drinks and dessert included at lunch?

No. Beverages and dessert are not included in the lunch package.

Is the tour available in English or Spanish?

A bilingual guide is available in the train carriage in Portuguese, English, or Spanish. You must choose your preferred language when booking. Full-day guiding in that language is not guaranteed.

How does the group return to Curitiba?

The return is by van, bus, or minibus. The usual scenic route is Estrada da Graciosa, but the BR-277 highway may be used in adverse weather.

What identification details are required?

You must provide each passenger’s full name, birth date, and passport number. Brazilian passengers should provide their ID or CPF for the mandatory passenger list.