Bolivia’s Train Cemetery in the Middle of the Desert

By Staff 2 min read

If you dare to venture past the city of Uyuni, Bolivia, you’ll come across the world’s largest train graveyard — a Mad Max-esque freight show in the middle of a barren wasteland. As if from a ghost story, the tourist attraction didn’t always exist simply for cool selfies and parkour artists. The park is rich in history, starting in 19th century, Bolivia.

The president at the time, Aniceto Arce, originally planned to build a state-of-the-art railroad system, but his goal was deterred by indigenous tribes, who fought against the intrusion on their land and lives. While the rail line was completed, it never grew as grand as those in the United States or Europe.

Bolivia's train cemetery — Source: Wikipedia Commons

Nonetheless, Arce’s railroad was utilized to transport minerals from Bolivia to Pacific port cities. The system operated up until the 1940s, when mineral resources ran out. With nothing to carry, the trains were dumped in the middle of the desert.

Not just an engineer’s oasis, Bolivia’s train cemetery is great for artists as well. Graffiti decorates rusted train carcasses, and harsh salt air has eroded away the cars’ sides, so you can observe their inner bodies.