The Serra do Mar Paraná Railway continues to draw visitors from around the world with a 70-kilometre journey between Curitiba and Morretes in southern Brazil. Operated by Serra Verde Express, the route combines 140 years of railway history with access to one of the country’s most preserved stretches of Atlantic Rainforest.
Running through the Serra do Mar mountain range in Paraná, the four-hour journey passes canyons, waterfalls and century-old bridges, offering passengers views across dense forest and dramatic escarpments. The railway was featured in BBC’s Celebrity Race Across the World in 2024, bringing renewed international attention to what has long been considered one of Brazil’s most distinctive rail experiences.
Over the past three decades of operation by Serra Verde Express, more than four million passengers have travelled the route. In the last summer season alone, over 70,000 people made the trip to Morretes or returned by train to Curitiba. In 2025, almost 280,000 passengers have already taken the tour.
Engineering Through the Atlantic Forest
The train consists of up to 25 cars, with capacity for as many as 1,200 passengers depending on demand. Travelling at a maximum speed of 30 km/h, the route crosses 41 bridges and passes through 13 tunnels. Its highest point reaches 952 metres above sea level.
One of the most notable structures along the line is the São João bridge, which stands 113 metres tall. The railway’s construction in the late nineteenth century required complex engineering across steep terrain and dense forest, a feat that continues to define its reputation as a landmark of Brazilian infrastructure.
Passengers can choose from three travel classes: Tourist, Boutique and Luxury Railcar, known as Litorina. Boutique and Luxury options offer themed interiors, including vintage-inspired carriages and open balconies designed to provide unobstructed views of the surrounding forest.
In Boutique class, onboard service includes water, juice, soft drinks and beer, alongside a curated snack selection. Specialised carriages include the pet-friendly Bove Car and the Carmen Silva Car, designed to improve accessibility. The self-propelled Litorinas provide a more exclusive configuration for smaller groups.
Arrival in Morretes
The final stop is Morretes, a coastal town founded by Jesuits in 1733. Its historic streets and preserved architecture reflect the early development of Paraná. Visitors often spend time in the central square, browsing local handicrafts and sampling regional cuisine.
Barreado is the town’s best-known dish. Traditionally associated with the tropeiros, or colonial muleteers, it consists of slow-cooked beef prepared in a sealed clay pot with spices. It is typically served with cassava flour and bananas, and remains a culinary symbol of the region.
A Railway Shaped by Brazil’s History
The origins of the railway date back to the nineteenth century and the work of the Rebouças brothers. André and Antonio Pereira Rebouças Filho, sons of a self-taught engineer and grandsons of a freed enslaved woman, played a central role in shaping early proposals for a transport link between the Paraná coast and inland regions.
In 1865, André Pinto Rebouças identified the strategic alignment between Antonina and Asunción, Paraguay, proposing a route that could support cargo transport. The Paraguayan War delayed progress, but discussions resumed in the 1870s as yerba mate producers sought more efficient ways to export their product to international markets including Uruguay, Chile, England and France.
At the time, transport from Curitiba to the coast relied on mule caravans along indigenous trails. In 1873, Antonio Pereira Rebouças Filho presented a formal railway proposal to the president of Paraná province. After his death in 1874, responsibility for the project passed to Irineu Evangelista de Souza, the Baron of Mauá, a pioneer of Brazilian rail development.
Following an imperial decision in 1875 that the railway would depart from Paranaguá rather than Antonina, a Belgian-French company assumed the concession in 1879. On 5 June 1880, Emperor Dom Pedro II laid the cornerstone in Paranaguá. Construction was completed five years later, and the line was inaugurated on 2 February 1885.
The project is remembered not only for its engineering achievement but also for the Rebouças brothers’ request that enslaved labour not be used unless paid, a notable stance in the context of the era.
Tourism and Cultural Heritage
Today, the Serra do Mar Paraná Railway operates primarily as a tourism service while preserving the legacy of one of Brazil’s most complex nineteenth-century infrastructure projects. The combination of engineering heritage, ecological setting and regional culture has positioned the route as a prominent example of how historic transport corridors can support local economies.
With rising interest in experiential and heritage tourism, the railway continues to attract domestic and international visitors seeking access to Brazil’s Atlantic Forest and colonial history. Operated by Serra Verde Express, the journey between Curitiba and Morretes remains both a functioning rail service and a living chapter of the country’s transport history.
