Construction has started on the privately funded Sendas del Tren (Train Trails) project along the Paraguarí-Cerro León section, marking the inception of a groundbreaking initiative in Paraguay and the wider region. The project aims to repurpose the disused national railway line into the continent’s longest dedicated bike path, spanning over 420 kilometres from Asunción to Encarnación, traversing 42 cities across five departments.
The inaugural phase, from Paraguarí to Cerro León, involves thorough deep cleaning, weed eradication, gravel laying, and the erection of bridge structures, railings, and vertical signage. The project also incorporates interactive rest stops, stations, and informational areas, blending natural surroundings, cultural elements, and modern technology.
“An opportunity to rediscover Paraguay”
Led by the organisation Sendas Paraguay, the Train Trails initiative proposes a novel tourism route featuring South America’s longest bike path. Following the historic railway corridor from Asunción to Encarnación, it will cross the Central, Paraguarí, Guairá, Caazapá, and Itapúa departments. The primary objectives include enabling Paraguayans and international tourists to discover 42 cities via ecotourism, rejuvenating public spaces, and stimulating local economies.
The project further seeks to safeguard the legacy of Paraguay’s railway system, which halted operations in 1999, by restoring its route as an emblem of national identity, unity, and advancement.
“We want each section of the Train Trail to be an opportunity to rediscover the country, its history, and its natural beauty. It is a way to reconnect with who we are and who we can be,” stated Jero Buman, president of Sendas Paraguay.
About Sendas Paraguay
Sendas Paraguay is a non-profit organisation committed to developing natural trails that highlight a distinctive facet of the nation for global audiences. It leverages public assets to foster shared value and multifaceted economic impact. Via a nationwide public-private partnership drive, it is advancing its flagship endeavour: Train Trails, targeted at establishing Paraguay as home to South America’s longest bike path.
Next phases and funding
Upcoming segments encompass Cerro León-Pirayú and Pirayú-Ypacaraí. In the medium term, Train Trails intends to extend southward, linking stations at Escobar, Sapucai, Caballero, and Ybytymí, ultimately achieving around 66 kilometres through phased development. Longer-term plans envisage integration with a commuter rail network, facilitating car-free journeys from Asunción to Ypacaraí with seamless access to the bike path.
The initiative enjoys backing from the Peery Foundation, which has provided strategic funding and emphasis from social and environmental perspectives over the past three years. Supporting entities include the Paraguayan Railways (Ferrocarriles del Paraguay SA, or FEPASA), which has authorised revitalisation and maintenance of the former railway strip, the National Secretariat of Tourism (Senatur), the Government of Paraguarí, and the municipalities of Paraguarí, Pirayú, and Ypacaraí.
“We also intend to partner with brands that want to invest in this project, improving sections of the route or carrying out promotional activities,”Bauman added. “And, of course, we aim to build a network of enthusiastic volunteers in different cities so they can be ambassadors for future tourism ventures. And promote activities such as bike and horseback riding, wildlife and flora watching.”
Emerging rural and ecotourism hub
The scheme anticipates wide-ranging effects on route-side communities, fostering healthy lifestyles, enhancing domestic and rural tourism, boosting small and medium-sized enterprises, and elevating Paraguay as a premier international ecotourism locale.
Train Trails extends an invitation to re-engage with Paraguay’s heritage, past, and environment. It embodies a pledge to sustainability, reuniting mobility, community, and scenery along the venerable railway tracks.
For more information, find Sendas Paraguay on Instagram.
