Transcontinental Travel: Exploring The Possibility Of A Train Journey From The Us To Belize

There is no train service from the US to Belize. In fact, there is currently no active rail transport in Belize at all, although there were lines in the past. Historically, one of the major railways in Belize was the Stann Creek Railway, which connected Middlesex Estate with the port of Dangriga. The railway operated from 1913 until 1937, when it was abandoned due to the banana industry's decline.

There are no trains in Belize

Historically, Belize had three major railway lines, including the Stann Creek Railway, which was used by the United Fruit Company to transport bananas from Middlesex Estate to the port of Dangriga. This railway operated from 1913 until 1937 when it was abandoned due to plant disease and poor production methods. Another major railway was the Vaca Falls Railway, which ran between Vaca Falls and the Chiquibul Forest and was used for logging mahogany trees. This line was owned by the Belize Estate and Produce Company Ltd. and operated until 1952.

In addition to these major lines, there were also several short railway lines in Belize, including one in Orange Walk, one along the Monkey River, and one near Punta Gorda. However, all of these lines have since closed, and there are no longer any trains or rail transport in Belize.

Today, travel to Belize from the United States is typically done by bus or plane. While it is possible to take a bus from the US to Mexico, there are no direct bus routes from the US to Belize. However, once in Mexico, travellers can take an overnight bus from cities like Cancun or Merida to Belize City. Alternatively, flights are available from various US cities to Belize City, with some flights connecting through Cancun or Merida.

While there are no longer any trains in Belize, the country does offer other forms of transportation and tours, such as the Calypso Train Tour, an open-air trolley tour that takes visitors through Belize City, offering a glimpse into the country's rich history and cultural diversity.

There were 3 major railway lines in Belize in the past

There is currently no rail transport in Belize, and there never have been any railway connections to other countries. However, in the past, Belize had three major railway lines:

Stann Creek Railway

The Stann Creek Railway was the first rail service in Belize. It was a privately owned light railroad in the Stann Creek Valley, constructed by the British Honduras Syndicate and opened in 1892. It connected Melinda with the Stann Creek Town pier in front of Sacred Heart Church. The colonial government began constructing the Stann Creek Railway, Belize's first and only passenger railroad, in 1907, and it continued until 1914. The railway traversed the rich alluvial soil of the North Stann Creek Valley for 25 miles from Commerce Bight Pier to Middlesex. It had detours into several banana farms along the Melinda Road and the Old Mullins River Road. The Stann Creek Railway was important in building the banana, citrus, logging, starch, and other agricultural enterprises in the Stann Creek Valley. It was used by the United Fruit Company from 1913 until 1937, and one year later, it was dismantled.

Vaca Falls Railway

The Vaca Falls Railway was a narrow-gauge railroad built by the Mengel Company of Kentucky in the mid-1920s. This 15-mile line ran from Vaca Falls to the Chiquibul Forest in the Mountain Pine Ridge and was last operated in 1952.

Gallon Jug Railway

The Gallon Jug Railway, also known as the Gallon Jug Hillbank Railway, was the second major railroad in Belize. It was a logging railway owned by the Belize Estate and Produce Company and operated between Gallon Jug and Hill Bank in Orange Walk. The construction started with the building of the railway tracks and facilities in Hill Bank on the New River Lagoon, just 10 miles south of Lamanai. The US Company C. C. Mengel & Brothers Co. from Louisville, Kentucky, built the first Shay Steam Locomotive, along with trucks and a train station in Gallon Jug around 1910. The Gallon Jug Railway operated for the last time in the early 1960s, and no trains have been reintroduced in Belize since.

The Stann Creek Railway was a major railway line in Belize

The railway had a gauge of 3 feet (914 mm) and was operated by four coal-fired steam locomotives stationed at Hope Creek, Mile 15, Mile 21, and Middlesex. After banana production decreased in 1924, the government procured two diesel shunting locomotives, which could handle the entire line at 8 mph. From 1925, the Tidewater Lumber Company used the railroad to transport mahogany wood from Middlesex to Commerce Bight for shipment to the United States.

The Stann Creek Railway was also used for passenger transport in the 1930s until the arrival of automobiles. The United Fruit Company, which had been using the railway for its banana business, ceased operations in 1937. The track was dismantled in 1938, and the parts were reused elsewhere in Belize and Jamaica. Today, remnants of these old railroad steel bridges can still be found alongside the Hummingbird Highway, which was built to replace the railway.

There are no railway connections from the US to Belize

One of the major railways in Belize was the Stann Creek Railway, which connected Middlesex Estate with the port of Dangriga. This railway was used by the United Fruit Company to transport bananas and other agricultural goods. The Stann Creek Railway operated from 1913 until 1937, when it was abandoned due to plant disease and poor production methods. Many remains of this railway are still visible along the Hummingbird Highway between Dangriga and Belmopan, including some of the old railway bridges that were built for the train line.

Another notable railway in Belize was the Gallon Jug Hillbank Railway, which ran from Gallon Jug to Hill Bank in the Orange Walk District. This line was used for logging operations and depended on the transfer of logs from the bush to the river, which was often accomplished by oxen. The construction of this railway was undertaken by the Glikston Group of England, and it operated from around 1910 until the late 1950s.

In addition to these two major lines, there were also several short railway lines in Belize, including one in Orange Walk, one along the Monkey River, and one near Punta Gorda. However, none of these lines ever extended beyond the country's borders, and there has never been a railway connection between Belize and any other nation.

While it is not possible to travel by train from the US to Belize, there are other transportation options available. American Airlines offers flights from Miami and Dallas to Belize City, and United Airlines operates flights from Houston. Additionally, there are small bus companies that run from neighbouring countries, such as Linea Dorada from Guatemala and ADO from Mexico.

The closest you can get to Belize by train is Mexico

Belize is a beautiful country in Central America, but it does not have any active rail transport. So, you cannot take a train directly to Belize from the US. However, the closest you can get to Belize by train is Mexico. From there, you can take a bus or fly to Belize.

Historically, Belize had three major railway lines, but none of them are functional today. The Stann Creek Railway, which operated from 1913 to 1937, was one of the major railways in Belize. It connected Middlesex Estate with the port of Dangriga. Another abandoned railway ran from Hill Bank, at the south end of a lagoon on the New River, to Gallon Jug, about 10 km from the Guatemala border.

If you are set on taking a train as part of your journey to Belize, your best option is to take a train to Mexico and then continue by bus or plane to Belize. Mexican bus company ADO operates daily overnight express buses from Merida and Cancun to Belize City. These buses usually depart around 10 pm and arrive in Belize City early in the morning, around 6 to 7 am. Alternatively, you can fly from Cancun or Merida to Belize City.

So, while it is not possible to take a train directly to Belize from the US, you can get quite close by train by going to Mexico and then taking a bus or flight to Belize.

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