Panama Canal Railroad

We do not sell individual day tours

This section contains details of the individual day tours offered in most of our tour packages. Our minimum sale is our Panama at a Glance tour package. We can add additional hotel nights and any of our day tours to this package.

Historic Portobelo and The Panama Canal Railroad

The World's first trans-continental Railroad

You will board the transcontinental train at the in Corozal train station for a historical ride alongside the Panama Canal. This 8th wonder of the world is famous for its breathtaking beauty and drama of its construction.

Originally completed in 1855, The Panama Railroad became the first transcontinental railroad. The French Panama Canal Company purchased the railroad in 1880 to assist in their attempt to build the Panama Canal. In 1904, the United States purchased the New Panama Canal Company's assets from the French, including the railroad. The United States rebuilt and operated the railroad until 1979, when it was transferred to Panama under the terms of the Panama Canal Treaty. In 1998, Panama privatized the railroad and awarded a 50-year concession to the Panama Canal Company, a joint venture of Kansas City Southern and Mi-Jack Products, to rebuild and operate the line. The new "reborn" railroad began operations in 2000. The visual charms of this train ride will make this an unforgettable trip.

Portobelo was christened Belporto (Puerto Bello, beautiful port) by Christopher Columbus in November 1502 and described by his son Ferdinand as "a very large, beautiful bay". The Admiral came back the following April and had to abandon on of his ships, the Vizcaina in the cove. Portobelo Bay and the surrounding coasts were Francis Drake's favored destination.

Portobelo has a lot of forts like Santiago Fort, built after Vernon's attack. Part of the wall is pierced with musket ports. San Geronimo Fort built in 1758 on the site of the earlier fort bearing the same name, is the largest fortress protecting the bay. The parapet has eighteen artillery embrasures and in the upper battery, a powder magazine and two other powder storages.

Includes: Transportation, English/ Spanish speaking guide, Round trip train ticket, Panama Panama City / Colon ' Panama City, driving tour of Colon City, and Portobelo with lunch at a local restaurant.

What to bring: Comfortable clothes and shoes, hat or baseball cap and camera.

NOTE: A transfer guide will pick you up at the hotel at about 6:30 a.m. and take you the train station near Balboa. From here you will take the train on your own to enjoy the view along the Panama Canal. In Colon, our guide greet you. Our guide will take you on a driving tour of Colon City, Fort Gulick, wildlife driving tour and on to historic Portobelo. Lunch provided at a quaint and scenic tropical cove restaurant. You will then be returned to the Colon train station for your return trip by train. The train departs the Colon train station at 5:15 p.m. and arrives in Balboa at 6:15 p.m. A guide / driver will meet you and provide a transfer back to the hotel.

Duration: 12 hours

Other monuments to see are: The Custom House (counting house) built in 1640, the Hospital Chapel built in the year 1597, San Fernando Fort, The Black Christ, a 17th- century that adorns San Felipe Church.Other monuments to see are: The Custom House (counting house) built in 1640, the Hospital Chapel built in the year 1597, San Fernando Fort, The Black Christ, a 17th- century that adorns San Felipe Church..

Since

1992

Professional

Bilingual Guides