Ushuaia City Guide
Tierra del Fuego National Park: The Complete Visitor Guide
Tierra del Fuego National Park sits 11 km west of Ushuaia on Ruta Nacional 3, and it is the only Argentine national park with a seacoast. This page compares entry fees, transport and every park tour on sale, including the End of the World Train that runs inside the gates. The whole guide starts on the Ushuaia city guide.
Quick answer Entry fee, hours and transport in brief
Entry to Tierra del Fuego National Park costs ARS 40,000 ($26.50) per day for foreign visitors, a fee effective from 1 June 2026. Hours are 8:00-21:00 December to February, 8:00-20:00 in March, October and November, and 9:00-18:00 April to September. The park is 11 km west of town. There is no city bus. A shuttle runs from Maipú and Juana Fadul, or you take a tour with hotel pickup. The End of the World Train runs inside the park and its fare is separate from park entry.
Key takeaways
- Compare entry and tour prices side by side in the tickets table.
- The cheapest way to pair the park with the train is the National Park and End of the World Train tour at $49.50.
- Train fares, departures and check-in rules are on the train page.
- Budget the whole day against the rest of your trip with what a day in Ushuaia costs.
Key facts
Opening hours
| December-February | 08:00–21:00 |
|---|---|
| March, October, November | 08:00–20:00 |
| April-September | 09:00–18:00 |
Admission
- Adult
- ARS 40,000 ($26.50) foreign visitor daily pass
- Reduced
- Argentine residents ARS 18,000 ($11.94); students ARS 12,000 ($7.96)
- Free
- Children 0-6, Argentine pensioners, people with disabilities, local residents
Planning it
- Time needed
- Not stated by the park service; our routing: half a day with the train, a full day with the coastal trail
- Book ahead
- Optional — walk-up usually fine
- Address
- Ruta Nacional 3 km 3,079, 11 km west of Ushuaia
Tickets and Tours Compared
Do you want the train in the same half-day? The table compares the official park pass sold by Parques Nacionales with the park and train tours currently listed for Ushuaia. Tour prices come from the tour listings themselves, are already in US dollars, and tour durations are the tour listing's. Cancellation terms come from each listing.
| Option | Price | Includes | Cancel | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official daily pass (foreign visitor); For travellers arriving by shuttle or taxi who want to explore on their own | ARS 40,000 ($26.50) | Entry only; second visit 50% off if bought online | Not stated as refundable | Official site |
| National Park & Train of the End of the World Tour; For first-timers who want both icons in one outing | $49.50 | 5 hours, park viewpoints, end-of-Panamerican sign, train ride, hotel pickup | 24 hours | Check Availability |
| Tierra del Fuego National Park Guided Tour; For lowest priced group tour, train skipped | $42.50 | 5 hours, park circuit without the train, hotel pickup | 24 hours | Check Availability |
| National Park and End of the World Train (optional); For groups split between riding and walking | $52.20 | 5 hours, park tour with the train as an add-on, four guide languages | 24 hours | Check Availability |
| Private Tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park; For families and photographers who want their own pace | $400 | 5 hours, private vehicle and guide, optional train | 24 hours | Check Availability |
Tour prices and durations are the tour listing's. Whether park entry is included in a tour price is not stated on the listings, so check the booking terms. Figures current for 2026.
All Park Tours Listed
Every tour on this page for tierra del fuego national park tours, with prices as listed by the platforms.
from $49.50
Top pick Ushuaia: National Park & Train of the End of the World Tour
The half-day pairing most visitors book: park viewpoints, the end-of-the-Panamerican-Highway sign and the End of the World Train ride, with hotel pickup. The cheapest way to tick off both icons in one morning or afternoon.
Check Availability
from $52.20
Top rated USHUAIA: TIERRA DEL FUEGO NATIONAL PARK AND END OF THE WORLD TRAIN (OPTIONAL)
Small-group park tour with the train as an option rather than a fixed part of the day, in four languages. Good if half the group wants the train and half wants to walk instead.
Check Availability
from $132
From Ushuaia: Tierra del Fuego National Park + The End of the World Train AM & PM
The railway itself sells this AM or PM combination: the full park circuit with the train ride at its centre. Sold by the operator that runs the trains, so departures match the timetable.
Check Availability
from $42.50
Ushuaia: Tierra del Fuego National Park Guided Tour
The plain park tour without the train, and the lowest priced of the group options. Covers Bahía Ensenada, Lapataia Bay and the end-of-the-route sign in five hours with pickup.
Check Availability
from $72
Ushuaia: Tierra del Fuego National Park Tour
A coach tour of the park without the train add-on, run by one of the biggest operators in town. The straightforward choice if the train is something you plan to skip.
Check Availability
from $400
Ushuaia: Private Tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park
A private vehicle and guide for the day, priced per group, so the itinerary bends to what you want to see. Worth it for families or photographers who want the park without bus schedules.
Check AvailabilityPrices, ratings and details are the platform's own. dollar figures are the listed prices — the platform bills in your account's currency.
What Kind of Park This Is
Before you choose a tour, it helps to know what the park actually protects. This section explains the landscape you will be driving and walking through.
The First Park on a Seacoast
Tierra del Fuego National Park was created in 1960 and was the first Argentine national park established on a seacoast. It covers 630 square kilometres of the southern tip of the island, and its southern edge is the shore of the Beagle Channel. The water you see from the park's bays is the same channel that cruise ships sail out of Ushuaia's port.
See our Beagle Channel page for that side of the day.
Subantarctic Forest, Bogs and the Pipo River
The vegetation is what Argentines call subantarctic forest: southern beech, mainly lenga and guindo, growing low and wind-bent near the coast. Between the forest patches sit peat bogs, spongy wet ground that squishes underfoot and turns rust coloured in autumn. The Pipo River runs through the park valley from the mountains down to the channel, and the End of the World Train follows it.
What subantarctic means for you in practice is modest temperatures even in summer, ground that stays wet off the paths, and a forest you can see across rather than through.
Figures from Parques Nacionales and the park's Wikipedia entry.
The Stops on the One Road In
One paved road runs through the park from the entrance to Lapataia Bay, and every tour and shuttle stops along it. These are the postcard stops and what each one is for.
Lapataia Bay, the end of the one road through the park, where Ruta Nacional 3 finishes at the channel shore. Photo: Aakerueh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bahia Ensenada
A sheltered bay on the Beagle Channel with a small beach and a recognised spot for the park's mailbox on the shore, where visitors post cards stamped at the end of the world. This is also one end of the Senda Costera coastal trail. Practical line: postcards and stamps are sold at the small kiosk area, bring cash.
No official walking time is published for the trail from here, our estimate for the full walk to Lapataia is a relaxed half day.
Lago Roca
The park's biggest lake, with the border with Chile running along its far shore. On a clear day you look across the water at another country. There is a picnic area, toilets and the confluence of easy paths.
Practical line: this is the best place in the park for a sit-down lunch with tables, and the shuttle makes stops here.
Lapataia Bay and the End-of-Ruta-3 Sign
The road ends at Lapataia Bay on the channel, where the sign marks the end of Ruta Nacional 3 at km 3,079 from Alaska. This is the photograph almost everyone comes for. Practical line: the bay is the last stop, so afternoons here get crowded when tour batches stack up.
Go early or after 15:00.
Ensenada Zaratiegui
A second channel cove west of Bahia Ensenada, quieter than the mailbox bay and good for watching the water without the crowd. Practical line: no services here beyond the shore itself, so it is a stop rather than a base.
The Beaver Dams
North American beavers were introduced to Tierra del Fuego in the 1940s and their dams now flood whole sections of forest along the park's watercourses. Guides point out active dams on the drive between stops. Practical line: the dammed ponds are visible from the road, no extra walk is required, and no official walking times are published for any damside path.
Stop descriptions from the official park pages at Parques Nacionales. Walking times are not stated by any official source.
Getting There From Ushuaia
The park entrance is 11 km west of town on Ruta Nacional 3. No city bus line serves it, so you have four realistic ways in. The table compares them on cost, time and who each suits, with costs from official figures where published and visitor reports where not.
| Way | Cost | Time | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shuttle from Maipú & Juana Fadul | ARS 16,000-28,000 ($10.61-$18.57) round trip per visitor reports, no published fare | Roughly 8:00-20:00 daily, the 11 km ride is short | Independent visitors on a set schedule |
| Taxi or Uber | Not stated | About 11 km from town | Small groups who want door to gate speed |
| Tour with pickup | From $42.50 to $400 per person depending on the tour | 5 hours per the tour listings | Anyone who wants transport and guiding in one booking |
| Bicycle | Not stated | Not stated | Confident riders happy on Ruta 3 traffic |
The Shuttle
Shuttle minibuses marked Transporte Regular leave from the corner of Maipú and Juana Fadul in central Ushuaia, daily roughly 8:00 to 20:00. There is no published fare. Recent visitor reports put the round trip at ARS 16,000-28,000 ($10.61-$18.57), so treat those figures as reports, not a tariff.
The shuttle drops you inside the park and picks up at set times, which is why it suits people who want a fixed half day without a guide.
Taxi or Uber
A taxi or Uber from town works for the 11 km run and is the fastest door-to-gate option. No official fare is published for the trip, so agree or check the app price before you set off. The practical catch is the return: taxis are not always waiting at the gate in low season, so book your pickup in advance or plan to finish where the shuttle runs.
A Tour With Pickup
Every park tour on the comparison table includes hotel pickup in central Ushuaia, with the time confirmed at booking. This is the simplest option and bundles the guiding. Entry to the park is not stated as included on the tour listings, so check the terms before you book.
Bicycle
Riding a bike out Ruta Nacional 3 to the gate is possible and some travellers do it. The status of a dedicated cycle path on the route is not stated in any official source we checked. Ride defensively on the shoulder.
Transport facts from turismoushuaia.com and the official fee page. Shuttle fares are visitor reports, not published tariffs.
Visiting Without a Tour
You do not need a guide to see the park well. This section is what one car-free day realistically covers and where the web-only discount comes in.
What One Day Covers
Take the first shuttle out, and you can ride to Bahia Ensenada, walk the Senda Costera to Lapataia Bay, and finish at the end-of-Ruta-3 sign before the afternoon pickup. Our pick for a car-free day is exactly that: the coastal trail between Ensenada and Lapataia is the single best walk in the park because it strings together the forest, the bogs and the channel shore in one line. No official duration is published for the trail, our estimate is a relaxed half day with photo stops.
Picnic and Toilets at Lago Roca
Lago Roca has the park's main picnic area and toilets, so plan your food stop there rather than hoping for services at the bays. Buy supplies in Ushuaia the evening before, since nothing substantial is sold inside the park.
The Second-Day Discount
A 50 percent discount on a second day within 72 hours exists, but it applies only to tickets bought online through Parques Nacionales. Buy at the gate and you lose it. If you are considering a second visit or a return trip for the Senda Costera, buy the web ticket the first time.
See our tickets page for the buying steps.
Discount terms from the official Parques Nacionales fee page.
Hours, Seasons and When It Is Quiet
The park keeps seasonal hours and the crowds follow the cruise calendar. Here are the official hours and how we would route around the midday peak.
Official Hours by Season
December to February the park is open 8:00-21:00. March, October and November it opens 8:00 and closes 20:00. April to September it runs 9:00-18:00.
These hours come from the official sources and are the ones the gate enforces.
When It Is Quiet
Cruise days push tour groups into the park around midday, and the sign at Lapataia Bay collects a queue. Our routing: take the earliest shuttle or tour and you will have Ensenada and the sign more or less to yourself, or arrive after 15:00 when the morning batches have gone back to their ships. In the April to September shoulder season the park is quiet all day, and the trade is the shorter hours.
Hours from turismoushuaia.com and the official fee page.
How Much Time to Give the Park
The park service does not publish a recommended visit duration. The table compares our three standard routings on time, cost and what each delivers, using official prices and listed tour prices.
| Routing | Time | Cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half-day tour with the train | 5 hours per the listing | From $49.50 per person, park entry may be extra, not stated on the listing | The road stops, the end-of-Ruta-3 sign and the train ride with hotel pickup |
| Self-guided half day by shuttle | Half day, our estimate | Entry ARS 40,000 ($26.50) plus shuttle ARS 16,000-28,000 ($10.61-$18.57) round trip per visitor reports | The same stops at your own pace, no guide |
| Full day with the Senda Costera | Full day, our estimate | Entry ARS 40,000 ($26.50) plus shuttle, second-day 50% off only on web tickets | The coastal trail between Ensenada and Lapataia plus picnic time at Lago Roca |
Three Routings
Half a day is enough for the road stops with or without the train on a tour. A self-guided half day by shuttle covers the same stops at your own pace. A full day adds the Senda Costera walk and a long stop at Lago Roca.
Our routing recommendation: half a day with the train, a full day with the coastal trail.
Prices from the official fee page and the tour listings.
Do and Do Not in the Park
Small practical points that save money, skin and trouble.
Do
- Buy your entry online the first time so the 50 percent second-day discount is available within 72 hours.
- Carry a cash backup at the gate in case card payment drops in a coverage gap.
- Pack a windproof layer even in January, the channel wind cuts through a T-shirt fast.
- Start early or after 15:00 to beat the cruise-day midday peak at the sign.
- Buy postcard stamps at Bahia Ensenada before the kiosk closes for the day.
Don't
- Do not feed the foxes, they are wild and feeding changes their behaviour.
- Do not try to cross to the Chilean border post on foot from Lago Roca, the crossing is not open to park visitors that way.
- Do not assume the train fare includes park entry, the official site states it does not.
- Do not quote the old park fee, the ARS 40,000 ($26.50) price applies from 1 June 2026.
- Do not leave food at picnic tables unattended, birds and foxes will take it.
The Park in Eight Dates
The park's story overlaps with the prison railway, the Yámana presence on the channel and a closed border. Eight dates that explain what you are looking at.
-
Before 1900
Yámana camps on the channel
The Beagle Channel shore inside today's park was used by Yámana families, whose canoe camps line the protected bays.
-
1902
The prison opens in Ushuaia
The military prison that shaped the town begins operating.
-
1909-1947
The prison railway hauls timber
A narrow gauge line carries convicts and timber through the valley that the heritage train now follows.
-
1960
The park is created
Tierra del Fuego becomes the first Argentine national park established on a seacoast.
-
1982
The border crossings close
The Falklands conflict closes the crossings towards Chile that the park's roads once led to.
-
1994
The heritage train is rebuilt
The old prison railway is rebuilt as the End of the World Train for visitors.
-
Present
The train runs inside the park
The Estación del Fin del Mundo sits at Ruta Nacional 3 km 8, inside the park, with its own ticket separate from entry.
-
1 June 2026
The fee changes
The foreign visitor daily pass moves to ARS 40,000 ($26.50), and a 50 percent second-day discount is offered on web tickets only.
Sources: Parques Nacionales, the railway's official site and the park's Wikipedia entry.
Five Things Most Visitors Do Not Know
Short facts that change plans, each with its source in brackets.
The Train Fare Does Not Include Park Entry
The End of the World Train sells its own ticket and the official site states explicitly that park entry is separate and mandatory to ride. Budget both. [official railway site]
The Second-Day Half Price Is Web Only
The 50 percent discount on a second visit within 72 hours applies only to tickets bought online. Gate tickets do not qualify. [APN]
It Is the Only Argentine Park With a Seacoast
Tierra del Fuego is the only national park in Argentina with a seacoast shoreline. [APN]
Lago Roca Sits on the Chilean Border
The international border with Chile runs along the far shore of Lago Roca. [APN maps]
The Sign Is Not the End of the Highway System
The post at Lapataia marks km 3,079 of Ruta Nacional 3 from Alaska, it is the end of the Argentine route, not the geographic end of the highway system as sometimes claimed. [official sign, our photo of the post]
Sources named per point in the text above.
Park Map
The park's main points of interest west of Ushuaia. Coordinates for individual stops are not stated in official sources, so the map carries the park's official position. Distances along the internal road are not stated.
Nearby
Three pages that pair well with a park day.
End of the World Train
Fares, departures and check-in rules for the heritage railway that runs through the Pipo valley.
The station is inside the parkLaguna Esmeralda
The green glacial lagoon trek, the other great half-day walk near Ushuaia.
East of town, outside the parkDay Trips
Lakes, estancias and longer outings if you have more than one day on the island.
From UshuaiaQuestions About the Park
How much is entry to Tierra del Fuego National Park?
The foreign visitor daily pass is ARS 40,000 ($26.50), effective 1 June 2026. Argentine residents pay ARS 18,000 ($11.94) and students ARS 12,000 ($7.96). Children 0 to 6, Argentine pensioners, people with disabilities and local residents enter free.
Is the End of the World Train ticket included with park entry?
No. The train fare is separate and the railway's official site states park entry is not included and is mandatory for the ride. You pay both.
Can you visit the park without a tour?
Yes. Shuttle minibuses run from Maipú and Juana Fadul in town daily roughly 8:00-20:00. There is no published fare, recent visitor reports put the round trip at ARS 16,000-28,000 ($10.61-$18.57). Taxis and Uber also work, and there is no city bus.
How much time should I give the park?
The park service does not state a duration. Our routing is half a day if you take the train on a tour, and a full day if you want to walk the Senda Costera between Bahia Ensenada and Lapataia Bay.
When is the park quietest?
Cruise days fill the main stops around midday. Go on the first shuttle of the day or after 15:00 and you avoid the tour batches at the sign.
Can you cross into Chile from the park?
No, not as a park visitor. The border runs along the far shore of Lago Roca, and the old crossings closed after the 1982 conflict. Enjoy the view of another country, do not attempt to walk to the Chilean post.
Is the second-day discount real?
Yes, a 50 percent discount on a second visit within 72 hours is official, but it applies only to tickets bought online through Parques Nacionales. Gate purchases do not qualify.
Videos
Video material for this page is not stated in our source files, so none is embedded.
Travel Guide: Tierra Del Fuego National Park [4K]
Video: Alexyn's Travel Tube4 Days in Ushuaia + Tierra Del Fuego Road Trip | PATAGONIA Argentina | Worlds MOST SOUTHERN City
Video: Claire and Craig TravelExploring Tierra del Fuego National Park in Argentina
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