Servicios Ferroviarios Patagónico
| Company type | Government-owned enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway transport |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Río Negro Province , Argentina |
Area served | Río Negro Province, Argentina |
| Products | Railway transportation services |
| Owner | Government of Río Negro Province |
Tren Patagónico (translated as "Patagonian Train") is a government-owned enterprise based in Río Negro Province, Argentina, managing an 827-kilometer broad gauge railway that connects Viedma with San Carlos de Bariloche. Additionally, the company operates a shorter passenger route between Ing. Jacobacci and Bariloche.
History
The railway was initially constructed and managed by Ferrocarriles Patagónicos, which served as the southern branch of the Argentine State Railway ("Ferrocarriles del Estado Argentino"). Following the nationalization of French and British railway companies by the Government of Argentina under President Juan Perón in 1948, control of the line was transferred to the General Roca Railway, a division within the state-owned Ferrocarriles Argentinos.
Responding to increased tourism demand, the service was rebranded as Tren Patagónico. During the privatization wave of railways under President Carlos Menem in 1991, operational responsibility was granted to the provincial government and subsequently handed over to "Servicios Ferroviarios Patagónicos" (SEFEPA) in September 1993. Beyond tourism, the line provides transportation to important regional centers such as San Antonio Oeste, Ministro Ramos Mexía, Ingeniero Jacobacci, Pilcaniyeu, and San Carlos de Bariloche.
Following a temporary halt caused by a shortage of diesel locomotives, operations recommenced in May 2014 under the "Tren Patagónico" brand after a national agreement facilitated the service's restart. In January 2015, the Río Negro government allocated ARS 2.5 million for infrastructure upgrades, including the replacement of 12 kilometers of track to resolve previous technical problems like derailments. Authorities regard this train service as a vital income source, noting full capacity during the summer season of 2015.