Argentina’s Tren Solar de la Quebrada is Latin America’s first solar-powered railway, running 42 kilometres through the Andes in Jujuy province. The battery-powered train connects six towns in the UNESCO-listed Quebrada de Humahuaca and has brought passenger rail back to the region after a 30-year absence.
Rather than using solar panels on the train itself, its six lithium batteries are charged with locally generated solar energy. Regenerative braking also feeds electricity back into the batteries. With a range of 100–120 kilometres, the train can travel more than twice its current route without diesel or overhead power lines. More than 90,000 passengers have used the service since its launch in 2024.
Argentina is not alone in moving railways away from fossil fuels. Nearly 58% of the EU’s railway network was electrified in 2024, while countries including the Netherlands and Switzerland are increasingly using renewable energy to power rail infrastructure. In Switzerland, Sun-Ways has also tested solar panels installed between railway tracks.
For remote railways without access to an existing electric network, Argentina’s solar train demonstrates how locally generated renewable energy and battery technology could provide a cleaner alternative to diesel.
