People often ask me about the differences between the two trains.
Here are the differences:
-Schedule- they leave at the same time- and second is hooked to the back of it
-Stops- 1st makes fewer stops in the past- now the train will stop at any station where people want to get off and at all of the major stops. Just be sure the conductor knows you want to get off if you are getting of at say Cuiteco or Pitorreal.
-Cars- The 1st cars are slightly nicer- like they have better luggage areas at the front and they are carpeted.
-Food and drink- 1st has a menu-ed restaurant and a bar car- nice areas to sit and relax. 2nd simply has a cafe car with stand up tables. The 1st menu is like bar food in the US and decent. 2nd just has drinks and warm up burritos and sandwiches and ramen noodles. The only stop for food is the 15 minute stop at Divisadero where you can get delicious vendor food.
-People- 1st tends to have tourists, tour groups (uugh!), and Mexican families and business people. 2nd has more locals, Indians, and so on. Lots of kids.
-Service- Roughly the same, but they treat you a bit more like tourists on 1st.
-What I prefer….hmmm…to experience the people and the place, 2nd. To just get there if I want to relax and rest, 1st. I like our groups to experience both.