In this guide
Sapucai, in Paraguarí department, is about 92 km from Asunción and works as a day trip if you leave early: the draw is the old railway workshop, the "train cemetery", the English Village by the station and a walk through a town ringed by hills. On the way back you can stop at Yaguarón's church, which is right on the route.
Getting to Sapucai from Asunción
- Route: take PY01 to Paraguarí (66 km), then the paved branch road of about 24 km to Sapucai (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)).
- Train: there's no passenger service; restored locomotive and railcar tourist rides ran until 2005 (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)).
- Tip: fill up and get cash in Paraguarí, and download your phone map for offline use on the branch road.
What to see at the railway workshop
The core of the visit is the former Carlos Antonio López station complex, owned by state railway company Fepasa: the station, the workshops, the "Museo Vivo", the warehouses with an interpretation centre, and the English Village (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
- Railway workshop. Locomotives and carriages for the whole network were assembled and repaired here; the steam-driven machinery is still intact and was restored in 2011 by the metalworking industry association (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab); Última Hora, 2018 (opens in a new tab)). The boilers are fired up on busy dates such as Holy Week and the July anniversary (Última Hora, 2017 (opens in a new tab)). Tip: go on those dates to see the machines running.
- Museum and "train cemetery". The old storehouse holds tools, first-class carriage furniture, ledgers and uniforms; outside in the yard, locomotives and carriages sit in the open (Última Hora, 2016 (opens in a new tab)). In 2018 there were seven trains (Última Hora, 2018 (opens in a new tab)).
- Hours and tickets. The latest published details are from 2018: open daily 8:00 to 16:00, G. 10,000 for adults (Última Hora, 2018 (opens in a new tab)). They may have changed, so check with the municipality before you go.
- Locomotive 151 "Encarnación". In 2023 a project was announced to run it with carriages on about 500 m of old track (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). Ask whether it's running before counting on a ride.
What else to do in town
- English Village (Villa Inglesa). Built for the British engineers who set up the workshop: 35 houses from 1890 on 16 hectares next to the station, of which about 20 structures remain (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). Most are abandoned (Última Hora, 2018 (opens in a new tab)), so look from the street.
- Sapucai cemetery. Known for English-style tombs, an architecture not seen elsewhere in the country (La Nación, 2022 (opens in a new tab)).
- Tapé Bolí. A cobbled road that, by local tradition, was built by Bolivian prisoners during the Chaco War; about 500 of its original 2,000 metres remain (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab); La Nación, 2022 (opens in a new tab)).
- The church and the hills. Sapucai sits in a hollow surrounded by hills, with the church on a slope overlooking the town (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). Wikipedia also describes the "burreritas", women who ride down from Cerro Rokê on donkeys on Saturday mornings to sell farm produce. Tip: the best town photos come in morning or late-afternoon light.
When to go
- Holy Week: the busiest time; about 2,000 people visited over those days in 2016 (Última Hora, 2016 (opens in a new tab)), and it's when the boilers are usually lit.
- July: Sapucai was founded on 16 July 1910 (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)) and the anniversary is celebrated with the workshop running (Última Hora, 2017 (opens in a new tab)).
- Rest of the year: quieter for walking the town. In summer, avoid midday in the sun-exposed train yard.
A sample day
Time · Stop
07:00 · Leave Asunción on PY01
09:00–12:00 · Workshop, museum, train yard and station
12:00–13:30 · Lunch in town
13:30–15:00 · English Village, cemetery and Tapé Bolí
15:00 · Head back towards Paraguarí
16:30–17:30 · Optional stop in Yaguarón, then Asunción
Stop on the way back: Yaguarón. It's 48 km from Asunción, on your route (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). Its San Buenaventura church, a Guaraní baroque landmark, is on Paraguay's UNESCO tentative list, and the Dr. Francia museum is a block or two away (La Nación, 2025 (opens in a new tab)). The church is under restoration, with completion expected around Holy Week 2027 (La Nación, 2026 (opens in a new tab)), so ask at the Turista Róga next to it which parts are open that day.
If you also want to hike or see Sapucai slowly, consider staying a night: in 2023 the mayor mentioned tourist guesthouses in the district (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
FAQ
Can you visit Sapucai as a day trip from Asunción?
Yes. It's about 92 km via PY01 to Paraguarí and a 24 km paved branch road; leaving early gives you time for the workshop, the English Village and a stop in Yaguarón on the way back.
What are the opening hours of the Sapucai railway museum?
The latest published details, from 2018, were daily 8:00 to 16:00 with G. 10,000 entry for adults. Check with the municipality before going.
Is there a train ride in Sapucai?
Not a regular one: tourist train rides ended in 2005. A 2023 project aimed to run locomotive 151 on about 500 m of track, so ask whether it's operating.
When do they fire up the workshop boilers?
On busy dates such as Holy Week and the town's July anniversary, according to Última Hora.
