Scenic Train ride to historical cities of Morretes and Antonina

The train is the star of this day. From Curitiba, you ride the 19th-century Paranaguá-Curitiba Railway through Serra do Mar, with rainforest, bridges, tunnels, and waterfalls outside the window. I like the included regional lunch and the easy hotel transfer, though the day packs in several stops and leaves too little time in Morretes for some visitors.

At $128.40 per person, this is a fair value if you want transport, rail tickets, a guide, snacks, lunch, and two small-town visits handled in one package. I especially like the sense of going somewhere rather than simply checking off sights. The main cautions are the early start, possible delays, language arrangements, and a long road return to Curitiba.

Key points to know before booking

• The 19th-century railway is the main event: The train follows the Paranaguá-Curitiba line, opened in 1884, across more than 41 bridges, 13 tunnels, viaducts, and mountain valleys.

• Serra do Mar supplies the scenery: The route passes through protected Atlantic rainforest, with canyons, gorges, rivers, and waterfalls.

• Barreado is part of the experience: This coastal Paraná dish features beef cooked for about 12 hours in a sealed clay pot, served with rice, bananas, oranges, and cassava flour.

• Morretes deserves more than a quick look: You have about 90 minutes for colonial houses, churches, the craft market, and a short walk through town.

• Antonina is a brief stop: The visit lasts about 20 minutes, so expect a quick look at the streets and waterfront rather than a full town tour.

• The ride home follows Estrada da Graciosa: This picturesque road is used when conditions allow. Rain or other bad weather can send the van back by the BR-277 highway instead.

Why this Curitiba day trip works

Curitiba is a practical base for seeing southern Brazil, but the city itself does not show you everything Paraná has to offer. This trip carries you from the highland capital down toward the coast, changing scenery, climate, architecture, and food in a single day.

I like that the route has a clear story. The railway was built in the 19th century, the mountain crossing still feels like an engineering feat, and Morretes preserves the look of an older colonial town. You are not just riding a train for an hour and turning around. You are following an old transport corridor into a different part of the state.

The tour runs about nine hours. Hotel pickup is generally around 7:00 a.m., and the planned return to Curitiba is about 4:30 p.m. A professional guide and round-trip road transport are included, with a maximum group size of 30 people.

That group size is large enough to feel organized but small enough to be manageable. Still, the day depends on railway schedules, boarding procedures, traffic, and weather. One report described several train stops that delayed arrival in Morretes from noon until about 2:00 p.m. Build a little patience into your plans.

Boarding the Curitiba to Morretes train

The morning begins with a transfer from your Curitiba hotel to the train station. The train then heads south and down through the Serra do Mar, using tracks laid during the 19th century.

The railway’s history adds real weight to the ride. Its inaugural trip took place in 1884 with Princess Isabel, and the line includes more than 41 bridges, hundreds of smaller pontoons, 13 tunnels, and major structures such as Ponte São João and Viaduto do Carvalho.

You will pass between mountains and across valleys cut by rivers and waterfalls. The Atlantic rainforest is the scenery here, and it is best appreciated from the window rather than through a tightly scripted commentary. On a clear day, the views can be dramatic. In rain or low cloud, the ride remains atmospheric, but distant peaks and waterfalls may be harder to see.

The train provides a snack and a soft drink or bottled water. Seating allows movement within the assigned section, which helps during a long ride. You may want to stand, stretch, or change your view when the train is moving slowly through a scenic section.

The boarding process can feel crowded and slow. This is a popular railway service, not a private vintage carriage, so expect a busy station and a shared train environment. If you picture a quiet luxury rail journey, adjust that expectation. If you want a historic route with impressive scenery, it delivers.

Language requires attention. A bilingual guide is available in the carriage during the train ride, in Portuguese, English, or Spanish, and you choose your preferred language when booking. The wider tour guide is listed as Portuguese speaking, so you should not assume that every explanation after the train will be offered in English or Spanish.

That distinction matters. Several language problems were reported, including passengers who received good commentary on the train but little help in their chosen language afterward. Confirm the language arrangement before paying, and make sure the guide knows your preference at the start of the day.

Morretes: colonial streets and a proper regional lunch

Morretes is the best town stop on the schedule. You have about 1 hour and 30 minutes to walk through its historic center, see colonial houses and churches, and browse the craft market.

The town is compact, so a short visit can give you a useful first look. I would focus on the streets, building details, small shops, and the river setting rather than trying to force in too many purchases. The craft market is a good place to look for local items, and Morretes also gives you a chance to see how different the lowland towns feel from Curitiba.

The time limit is the catch. Once you allow for getting off the train, gathering the group, walking, and sitting down to eat, the visit can feel compressed. If you enjoy taking photographs or lingering over architecture, you may wish the Antonina stop had been shortened to give Morretes more time.

Lunch is one of the strongest parts of the day. The featured dish is barreado, a specialty of Paraná’s coast. Beef is cooked slowly for about 12 hours in a clay pot sealed with manioc flour and water. The result is very soft meat that is served with rice, sliced bananas, oranges, and cassava flour. Breaded fish is served on the side.

This is more than a standard included meal. Barreado gives you a taste of local food that you might not otherwise order or recognize. The long cooking process and clay-pot preparation make it a meaningful part of the regional culture.

The meal includes the barreado and stated accompaniments, but beverages and dessert cost extra. Keep a few Brazilian reais available if you want a drink, coffee, or something sweet. One visitor specifically found the meal enjoyable but wished the extra cost for drinks and dessert had been made clearer.

The lunch stop lasts about 1 hour and 10 minutes. That is enough for a relaxed meal, but not a leisurely restaurant afternoon. If you want to spend time by the Nhundiaquara River, check how much free time your group has after eating. One especially pleasant detail reported from the day was the chance to put feet in the river after the meal.

Antonina: a quick coastal glimpse

Antonina comes later, reached by road from Morretes. This small historic town has old streets, a waterfront, shops, and local sweets made with banana, a fruit strongly associated with the region.

The scheduled stop is only about 20 minutes. That tells you how to approach it: this is a brief introduction, not an in-depth visit. You may have time for a short walk, a look toward the shore, and a quick purchase, but not a serious museum visit or extended café stop.

I would keep expectations modest. Some parts of the outing have been described as a very short drive or a stop at an ice cream shop rather than a substantial walk through town. The quality of this segment may depend on the day’s timing and the guide’s handling of the group.

This is also where the itinerary feels least balanced. Morretes offers the meal, the main historic walk, and more time. Antonina is attractive as a change of setting, but the short stop can feel like a box to tick. If your priority is historic streets and local atmosphere, you may prefer a tour that spends longer in one town.

Still, Antonina can be worthwhile if you want a quick look at another Paraná coastal settlement. Its shops and banana sweets offer a small taste of local life, even if the schedule gives you little room to linger.

HISGEOPAR and Paraná in miniature

After the town visits, the tour includes about 30 minutes at Parana Encantado HISGEOPAR. The name may suggest an amusement park, but the experience is better understood as a moving historical and geographical model.

The display uses dozens of dolls and moving scenes to show colonization and work systems in Paraná. You will also see models of the railway route from Curitiba to Morretes, including a train and locomotive.

The exhibition goes beyond the railway. It includes a model of the Itaipu Dam with an opening and closing system that illustrates the flooding of the Seven Falls, along with models of Iguazu Falls and other major attractions in the state.

I find this stop useful because it puts the day’s railway journey into a wider state-wide picture. It is not a thrill ride, and calling it an adventure park could set the wrong expectation. Think of it as a compact, mechanical history display with moving figures and models.

The 30-minute visit is enough to understand the concept. If you enjoy miniature railways, regional history, or working models, you may find it charming. If you prefer outdoor scenery to exhibitions, this will probably feel like the least essential stop.

Returning to Curitiba by Estrada da Graciosa

The return is by van, bus, or minibus rather than train. When weather permits, the route follows Estrada da Graciosa, one of Brazil’s most picturesque roads.

The road offers a different kind of scenic experience from the morning railway. Instead of viewing the mountains from a train carriage, you wind through them by road. The journey can be bumpy, especially on stone sections and around repeated turns, so this is not the time to expect a smooth express transfer.

The road trip also makes the day feel long. After an early start, a train ride, town walks, lunch, and the model park, you may be ready for a quiet ride back. The return is still part of the route’s appeal, but you should not book an evening activity in Curitiba that depends on a precise arrival time.

Weather can change the plan. For safety, the operator may use the BR-277 highway instead of Estrada da Graciosa in poor conditions. That is sensible, but it means you could miss the most scenic part of the return. If the old road matters greatly to you, ask about conditions on the morning of the tour.

What the $128.40 price includes

The price is reasonable for a full-day organized excursion, especially if you are staying in Curitiba and do not want to arrange several separate transfers. It includes hotel pickup and return for most Curitiba hotels, the train ticket, onboard snack and drink, a professional guide, lunch, the Morretes and Antonina visits, HISGEOPAR admission, and road transport back to the city.

You are paying for convenience as much as for the train. The train ticket alone does not solve the problem of reaching the station, getting from Morretes to Antonina, finding lunch, visiting the exhibition, and returning to Curitiba. For a solo visitor or anyone without a rental car, that package has real value.

The price becomes less attractive if you mainly want the train ride. You may feel that the stops are rushed, the return is long, or the language support is uneven. The tour works best when you value the complete day and accept that not every stop will receive equal attention.

Also remember that drinks, dessert, and optional gratuities are not included. The meal itself is covered, but extras can add to the final cost.

Timing, language, and practical concerns

Give your hotel the correct pickup details and keep your phone available on the morning of the tour. A few serious service problems have involved incorrect passenger information, missed pickups, or poor communication when plans changed.

You must provide each passenger’s full name, birth date, and passport number. Brazilian passengers should provide an ID or CPF. This information is required for the passenger list, so enter it carefully and check the confirmation when it arrives.

The exact departure time is confirmed after booking, although the tour generally begins around 7:00 a.m. The experience is listed as suitable for most people, but it is a long day with train boarding, walking, a full road return, and a potentially bumpy route.

Choose your language at purchase. English, Spanish, or Portuguese commentary is available in the train carriage, but the broader guide service may not offer the same language throughout the day. That is the single most important detail to clarify if you do not speak Portuguese.

Weather also affects the views. Clear skies give you the best chance of seeing the mountains, valleys, rivers, and waterfalls. Rain can obscure the scenery, but the train still operates as a historic railway experience unless conditions cause a change in the itinerary.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes made inside that window are not accepted, and the amount paid is not refunded for late cancellation.

Who should book this day trip?

I would choose this tour if you want an easy way to combine railway history, Atlantic rainforest scenery, a traditional Paraná meal, and two small towns. It is particularly suitable for first-time visitors to Curitiba, solo visitors who prefer organized transport, and anyone who wants more than a simple city tour.

Families may enjoy the train, the moving models at HISGEOPAR, and the unusual lunch. Couples can treat the ride and river lunch as the day’s main experience. People interested in engineering will appreciate the bridges, tunnels, and viaducts more than the shopping stops.

I would hesitate if you need a relaxed schedule, strong language support at every stop, or a guaranteed return by a particular hour. I would also think twice if your main goal is extended exploration of Morretes or Antonina. The schedule gives you a taste of both, not a full visit.

Should you book the Curitiba to Morretes train tour?

Yes, if you see the railway as the centerpiece and regard the towns, lunch, model park, and road return as useful additions. The train route through Serra do Mar is the reason to go, and the barreado lunch gives the day a real regional flavor.

Book with care if you need English or Spanish support. Confirm the language in the train carriage and ask what will be available for the walking tours and transfers. Also leave your evening open, since train delays, road conditions, and a slow return can stretch the schedule.

I would book it for the scenery, the old railway, and the chance to taste barreado. I would not book it expecting a quiet luxury train, a long visit in Antonina, or a perfectly timed day. With those expectations set correctly, this is one of the more rewarding day trips from Curitiba.

FAQ

How long does the Curitiba to Morretes tour last?

The experience lasts approximately nine hours. Pickup is generally around 7:00 a.m., with an expected return to Curitiba at about 4:30 p.m.

What is the main highlight of the train ride?

The train follows the historic Paranaguá-Curitiba Railway through Serra do Mar. The route includes more than 41 bridges, 13 tunnels, viaducts, mountain valleys, rivers, waterfalls, and Atlantic rainforest.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch includes barreado, a traditional Paraná dish, along with rice, sliced bananas, oranges, cassava flour, and breaded fish.

What is barreado?

Barreado is beef cooked slowly for about 12 hours in a sealed clay pot. The meat becomes very soft and is served with rice and regional accompaniments.

Are drinks and dessert included with lunch?

No. Beverages and dessert are not included in the tour price.

Is a hotel transfer included?

Round-trip transport is included for most hotels in Curitiba. The return to the city is by van, bus, or minibus.

Is the return journey by train?

No. The train travels from Curitiba to Morretes. The return to Curitiba is by road, usually along Estrada da Graciosa when weather conditions allow.

What happens if the weather is poor?

For safety, the return may use the BR-277 highway instead of Estrada da Graciosa. Rain or cloud can also reduce visibility of the mountain scenery.

Is the tour available in English or Spanish?

English, Spanish, or Portuguese bilingual commentary is available in the train carriage. You must select your preferred language when booking. The general guide is listed as Portuguese speaking, so confirm what language support is available after the train ride.

What information is needed for each passenger?

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