DivisaderoPause for the most dramatic canyon viewpoints and time outdoors at altitude. Stopovers must be included correctly in your ticket, so decide the shape of your journey before purchase. The official operator recommends booking early—often one to three months ahead—and arriving at the station an hour before departure.

When to go and how the train runs

For 2026, the published timetable lists Los Mochis to Creel departures on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, with return services Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. In May, June, August and September, the train operates only Thursday through Sunday. Schedules can change, so recheck the official Chepe Express site before committing to hotels or flights. Spring brings warmer lowlands; summer can mean rain and greener canyon scenery; autumn is crisp and luminous; winter nights at elevation can be genuinely cold. Pack for temperature swings rather than one forecast.

Safety, comfort and accessibility

Choose daylight transfers, use established lodging or tour operators for excursions, and ask locally about trail and road conditions. Canyon viewpoints involve uneven ground and significant drops; comfortable closed-toe shoes are more useful than delicate footwear. Travelers with mobility needs should contact the railway and hotels before booking to confirm boarding assistance, room access and transfer arrangements at each stop. For the carriage, wear soft layers, a light scarf and shoes you can walk in. Keep water, medication, a portable charger and sun protection in your day bag rather than checked luggage. First Class includes access to enhanced onboard spaces such as the bar and terrace, but availability varies by service.

Plan the rail story

Take Rallii Rail along

Use Rallii Rail as your companion for shaping scenic routes, keeping rail inspiration close and turning the journey between destinations into part of the adventure. Download Rallii Rail on the App Store

Make it part of a wider Mexico journey

Pair the canyon with a few polished city days before or after the train. Our guide to planning a multi-destination Latin America trip will help keep connections and pacing elegant rather than exhausting. The Chepe Express is a reminder that arrival is only one kind of pleasure. Here, distance becomes the story: desert softening into foothills, pine appearing at the glass, and Copper Canyon revealing itself curve by curve.