Mexican Train Travel with Kids: Tequila Express and Chepe Pacifico

Most people do not realize Mexico still has scheduled passenger trains. The country shut down almost all of them in the 1990s. But two have survived and thrived as tourist trains, and both are some of the best train rides in North America. The Tequila Express runs from Guadalajara through agave fields to a working tequila distillery, and the Chepe Pacifico crosses the Sierra Madre Occidental from the Pacific coast to Copper Canyon, a journey that rivals any Swiss Alps train ride for sheer scale.

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This is for the family that wants to do something different on a Mexico trip. Trains are deeply kid-friendly. They feel adventurous, the windows are big, the food comes to your seat, and there is genuinely no chance of motion sickness or boredom. As a gringa who hauled Eddie and a small Bella on the Chepe in 2023, I will tell you straight: the long days are worth every hour.

The Two Trains Worth Riding

1. Tequila Express (Guadalajara to Tequila)

Runs Saturdays year-round from Guadalajara to the town of Tequila. You tour a working distillery (Casa Herradura), watch agave harvesting, eat a traditional Mexican lunch with mariachi music, and ride back. Whole experience is one day, leaves around 10 am, returns around 8 pm. Around 2,500 to 3,500 pesos per adult, 1,500 pesos per child 4 to 11. Toddlers free.

Family-friendly because lots of Mexican families ride it on weekend trips. Mariachi bands roam the train. Snacks and drinks served constantly. The agave fields are genuinely beautiful and your kids will be fascinated by the harvesting demonstration. The tequila tasting is included for adults and obviously skipped for kids, who get fresh agua frescas instead.

2. Chepe Pacifico (Los Mochis to Creel)

The big one. Chepe Pacifico (also called El Chepe) is the only passenger train in Mexico that crosses the Sierra Madre Occidental, climbing from sea level at Los Mochis on the Pacific to about 8,000 feet at Creel in the Copper Canyon. The full route is about 9 hours each way through 86 tunnels and over 37 bridges. Most families do it as a 4 to 6 day round trip with stops along the way.

Around $130 to $$250 per adult per leg in Premiere class with proper seats and a dining car. Half price for kids 5 to 12. Worth every peso.

Tequila Express Day Trip Planning

Best for

Families based in or visiting Guadalajara, ages 5 and up. A full day on a train requires the kid to be patient with extended sitting and a lot of stimulation.

How to Book

Book online at tequilaexpress.com.mx 4 to 8 weeks ahead, especially for Saturday departures. Reserve specific seats so your family sits together.

Itinerary

• 9:30 am: Arrive at the Guadalajara station, board the train
• 10:00 am: Departure with mariachi serenade
• 11:30 am: Arrive in Amatitan station, transfer to Casa Herradura
• 12:00 noon: Distillery tour, lunch, mariachi performance
• 4:00 pm: Re-board train, return journey with continued music
• 6:30 pm: Back in Guadalajara

What to Pack

• Snacks for picky eaters, even though food is included
• Insulated water bottles for the kids
• A small entertainment kit (tablet, books, coloring) for the quiet stretches
• A travel adapter. Train cars have outlets but plug shapes vary.
• A light jacket. The train air conditioning is set to "morgue."
• Anti-theft crossbody bag for the Guadalajara station

Chepe Pacifico 5-Day Itinerary With Kids

Best for

Families with kids ages 7 and up willing to do longer travel days for big payoffs. The high altitude and long days make it tough on toddlers.

Day 1: Arrive in Los Mochis or El Fuerte

Fly into Los Mochis or, if available, drive on to El Fuerte. El Fuerte is the better starting point because the train leaves earlier from there and the town itself is charming. Spend the night.

Day 2: El Fuerte to Bahuichivo (or Posada Barrancas)

Train leaves around 8:00 am. The first 4 hours climb gradually through agricultural land. The next 3 hours are the most spectacular train ride in Mexico. Tunnels, bridges, vertigo-inducing views into 6,000-foot canyons. Disembark at Bahuichivo and overnight in Cerocahui, or continue to Posada Barrancas for the canyon-rim hotels.

Day 3: Copper Canyon Day

Stay in Posada Barrancas at the Hotel Mirador or Hotel Divisadero. Both sit on the canyon rim. Walk along the rim, take the cable car, do the zipline at the Divisadero adventure park (about 2.5 km on a single span, one of the longest in the world). Yes, the Copper Canyon system is bigger and deeper than the Grand Canyon.

Day 4: To Creel

Continue by train (1.5 hours) or van to Creel, the highest mountain town on the route. Stay overnight, take a half-day excursion to the Tarahumara villages, the Cusarare waterfall, or the Valle de los Hongos rock formations. The Tarahumara cultural exchange is one of the most genuine indigenous experiences your kids will ever have. Tip your guide. Bring cash.

Day 5: Return

Train back to El Fuerte/Los Mochis (9 hours) or fly out from Chihuahua if your booking allows (3 hour drive from Creel). The return ride is just as beautiful as the outbound and gives you a second chance to see the views from the other side.

What to Pack for Chepe Pacifico

Multi-climate trip. Hot at Los Mochis, cold at Creel.

• Layers including a real fleece or puffer. Creel can drop to 30°F in winter.
• Hiking shoes for canyon-rim walks
• Insulated water bottles per person
• Sunscreen. High-altitude UV is brutal.
• Sun hats
• Waterproof phone pouches for waterfall stops
• Packing cubes for the multi-stop itinerary
• Anti-theft crossbody bag for stations
• Multi-port travel adapter
• Motion sickness wristbands. The canyon switchbacks are real.
• Lonely Planet Mexico for the Copper Canyon and Tarahumara chapters

Booking Tips

Chepe Pacifico can be booked direct at chepe.mx or through a tour operator like Authentic Copper Canyon Tours. The all-inclusive package option (with hotels and ground transport) is genuinely worth the markup for a first-timer with kids. Solo-booking everything is doable but logistically intensive, and as a gringa whose Spanish is decent but not fluent, I will tell you that booking each segment in Spanish over WhatsApp from the road is a tiring way to spend a vacation.

Book 3 to 6 months out for high-season dates (November to March, plus Easter and summer school break weeks). Premiere class is much more comfortable than Express class for kids on the long journey. Bigger seats, dining car, observation lounge.

Health and Safety Notes

The high altitude at Creel (about 8,000 feet) can cause mild altitude effects. Headaches, fatigue, dehydration. Drink twice as much water as you think you need. Plan a low-energy first night. Most kids adjust within 24 hours. I learned this the hard way in CDMX my first week three years ago. Don Luis, my old landlord in San Miguel, used to wave a glass of water at me every time I sat down. He was right.

The Sierra Madre region was once associated with cartel activity, but the Chepe corridor and tourist towns (Creel, Cerocahui, El Fuerte) are very safe and well-policed. Stay in established tourist areas and follow your tour operator's guidance. The train itself is patrolled.

One Cash Note

Smaller stops along the Chepe and most Tarahumara craft sellers are cash only. Pull pesos out before you board. ATMs in Creel and El Fuerte are fine, but do not assume you can pull cash at every stop.

The Bottom Line

Mexico's two surviving passenger trains are some of the most magical family experiences you can plan. Tequila Express is the easy day trip out of Guadalajara. Chepe Pacifico is the multi-day expedition through one of the largest canyon systems on Earth. Either way, your kids will remember the train ride longer than any beach day. Book early, pack layers, bring snacks.