enjoy travel opening hours

Suggested companies

Discovercars.com, holidaycars, vipcars.com.

EnjoyTravel.com   Reviews

In the Car Rental Agency category

Visit this website

Company activity See all

Write a review

Reviews 3.9.

4,938 total

Most relevant

Missing information and bad response

They are so nice while booking but after booking when you get a problem they just don't reply anymore. We booked a car through the website and when we went to pick up the car we were forced to buy extra insurance because of age which was never mentioned on the website while booking the car. Also, the pickup point on the contract was at the airport, however, we were taken by a shuttle to somewhere else to pick up the car, which was frustrating.

Date of experience : March 31, 2024

Excellent Service

Needed to check some of the information in the small print about the rental, sent an email to Enjoy Travel Group and in no time at all, Nathalie came back to me with the information required. Excellent service.

Date of experience : April 08, 2024

Amazing client service

Srabana was great and helpful with my request. Very quick to answer via chat, literally instant reply. Amazing. Would recommend using Enjoy Travel :)

Date of experience : April 10, 2024

Good communication experience but not such great news.

My experience messaging Sonia on the live chat was quick and clear. Thank you Sonia. I'm a bit less happy that changing the pickup time of my car rental from 13.00 to 10.00 on the same day cost me 30 pounds.

Date of experience : April 15, 2024

Needed to amend/update an upcoming…

Needed to amend/update an upcoming booking and used the webchat to do so. Very efficient service and all sorted withing 5 or so minutes, very impressed.

Car rental not available and no refund

Rented a vehicle and the branch closed early, was advised to go next day which I did only to be told car I booked was not available and I would need to take a more expensive car. I was not prepared to do this and they refused to refund me. So I'm £300 down and no car for an important week. Terrible customer service and just making rules to take their customers money.

Date of experience : March 29, 2024

Great Customer Support

I had a specific request and used the Live Chat feature. I spoke with a very kind support person named Nathalie. She was nice, quick, helpful, and escalated my concern to the appropriate department. Thanks!

Date of experience : April 02, 2024

Great service

Great service when I needed to change the dates of my booking.

Date of experience : April 23, 2024

I had a query used the live chat &…

I had a query used the live chat & liaised with your colleague Nathaniel who quickly & professionally assisted me. Very quick solution - very grateful

Date of experience : April 04, 2024

Srabana was very helpful

I would recommend Enjoy car hire they are always very helpful and best value.

Customer support

I received a prompt reply to my query from an operative named Nathalie. My query is ongoing and hope that I receive the same attention as before going forward.

great service

great service, Sonia very helpful

Date of experience : April 25, 2024

I have booked car hire with Enjoytravel…

I have booked car hire with Enjoytravel on few occasions and they have been absolutely fantastic to deal with. Recently I booked a car rental for 23 days in Brisbane, Australia and unfortunately had to cancel due a change in circumstances. The cancellation process was very straightforward and my money was refunded to my credit card within a few days. My experience in dealing with Enjoytravel has been stress free and painless. They also respond relatively quickly to email inquiries. I would recommend them without hesitation.

Date of experience : March 10, 2024

I dealt with Sonia on the chat line

I dealt with Sonia on the chat line. She dealt with my concerns and solved my issue

Date of experience : April 22, 2024

Effective customer service team

The customer service team (special Nathalie) act fast and efficient to solve my issue, and to fix the problem I faced. Thanks.

Excellent customer service

Definitely no complaints about the service, I had to cancel a booking due to a delay in plans and Srabana helped me with the cancellation super fast. The response to my initial chat request was within 2 minutes. Would definitely not hesitate to use them again. This is what customer service should be! Thank you and keep up the great service!

Date of experience : March 22, 2024

Sonia was extremely polite and very helpful! A lovely person to deal with!

Date of experience : April 16, 2024

Online chat.

I had an issue while booking which meant that I had to switch to a different payment method. This resulted in me paying twice. I used the online chat facility and spoke with Srabana, who was extremely helpful. One of the bookings was cancelled and a refund was issued immediately. Srabana was very polite and efficient.

Date of experience : March 19, 2024

Excellent Customer Service

Definitely no complaints about the service, I had to cancel a booking due to delay of plans and Nathalie assisted me with the cancellation super quick. The reply to my initial email was within 10 mins. Would definitely not hesitate to use again. This is how customer service should be! Thank you and keep up the great service!

Email conversation with Nathalie from…

Email conversation with Nathalie from enjoy travel re booking a car despite being insulin dependant. Incredibly helpful, answered all my questions very quickly and kept me informed at all stages.

Date of experience : March 27, 2024

ENJOY TRAVEL GROUP INC. in Miami

• Travel agency

Location on the map

Miami, miami-dade county, florida, us, accessibility.

Wheelchair-accessible entrance Yes

• Monday: 9:30AM–6:30PM
• Tuesday: 9:30AM–6:30PM
• Wednesday: 9:30AM–6:30PM
• Thursday: 9:30AM–6:30PM
• Friday: 9:30AM–6:30PM
• Saturday: Closed
• Sunday: Closed

Total reviews rating 4.6 27 Reviews for ENJOY TRAVEL GROUP INC. 2023:

They refuse to sell me a ticket because I asked if by any chance I have to change it , because we all know how is Cuba ! So sad 😞

I had traveled with Enjoy Travel Group first to Costa Rica and then, after a great experience, I decided to plan all my trips with them. Some of the destinations they offered me was Colombia, Spain and several cities in Western Europe. Not even mad, they were great in all topics. Definitely would contact them again and recommend.

Such an easy and delightful experience dealing with Enjoy Cuba! We are a Tour Operator and needed assistance sending a large group to Cuba and needed help with Visas and shore excursions. Great prices, unbelievable fast and efficient customer service. Olga at Enjoy Cuba was so fantastic to deal with. She answered all of our questions and was always there for us.Do not listen to all the warnings trying to scare you away from traveling to Cuba. They are simply not true! Warm, welcoming people, a beautiful country, and fantastic experiences! I couldnt recommend Enjoy Cuba any higher for all their assistance in making our group feel special and looked after. We will use their services again and again.A huge thanks to Natacha as well for her tremendous help in making this happen.

Ill definitely recomend this travel agency. All the agents have a great customer service, and Im very satisfied with all the help provided when booking my trip to Cuba which I deeply enjoyed. Enjoy Cuba USA made me feel welcome and will go back to them with no doubt on my future trips to Cuba. Thank you!

I had an amazing experience with this travel agency.I went to Europe and they took me the most amazing places ever.I was able to enjoy every moment of the trip thanks to the combination of products and services they provide with such a great professionalism. In simple words my trip was unique and imposible to forget.I will definitely recommend them to anyone.

All the services of this agency are awesome. When I planned my travel to Cuba the staff was very helpful. Therefore, If you had to travel, I would like to recommend you Enjoy Cuba. I am pretty sure that you will never regret.

Great travel agency!! The staff is friendly and they will help you with all your needs. I was extremely satisfied with their services and I will definitely go to them when planning my next trip. I highly recommend this agency to everyone!

Excellent service and high knowledge of Cuba. Olga is always spot on in her recommendations. I love dealing with everyone in this office. They have been able to design very complicated trips for me in a variety of categories: culture, sports, etc. I highly recommend them!

Superb Service!We are very happy with the outcome of our trip. EVerything was planned and executed accordingly. They gave me piece of mind to enjoy my trip. Elizabeth was just excellent. Thank you for making this an unforgettable time.

Enjoy Cuba is a great one-stop shop for all things Cuba related! The staff was very helpful and made our trip a breeze to plan. Lodging, cars, they really had it all! 💯😍👌🏻

Get to know your host, Lana

179 comments

Verified host

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Maximus dolor, inquit, brevis est. Comprehensum, quod cognitum non habet? Si longus, levis dictata sunt. Non risu potius quam oratione eiciendum? Istic sum, inquit. Ita prorsus, inquam;

Duo Reges: constructio interrete. Non risu potius quam oratione eiciendum? At ille pellit, qui permulcet sensum voluptate. Num quid tale Democritus? Quae cum dixisset paulumque institisset, Quid est?

Nihil ad rem! Ne sit sane; Sic enim censent, oportunitatis esse beate vivere.

Egone quaeris, inquit, quid sentiam? Nunc omni virtuti vitium contrario nomine opponitur. Cur post Tarentum ad Archytam?

Lana speaks English, Français, and Deutsch and usually responds within an hour.

Choose from the available dates

Book for a private event.

Available slots: 12

My trip with Enjoy Travel Group was an incredible experience. I could discover France and Spain with a wonderful planning.I really recommend this agency.

I loved to travel with this agency, I went to Europe and it was an amazing experience, they helped us a lot in chose the best option for us according to our needs and budget.

Great experience, the service and staff very professional all the time took good care of me and my family. For sure the agency I will always use to travel. Awesome!!

Excellent agency & outstanding service. I wanted to have a good experience with a not so big bigger and thanks to the agency & their salesman I was able to have a great vacation.

I am very happy and satisfied with the services of the Enjoy Travel Group...it was a really good experience on my part as they organize my trip to the Netherlands....I am very thankful and I recommend this organization to everybody that is looking to plan great trips...

I went to Cuba to make a sport event coverage. Everything was perfect thanks to the great team of Enjoy Cuba who were in charge of all my travel arrangements.

I totally recommend this agency, I went to Brazil with them, they have very good prices and attention. I will repeat with they next time😊.

I am very glad to do my last trip with you and happy for given me a great experience and wonderful places that I visited. Six stars ✨.

I recommend 100% ... they are one of the most professional agencies in which I travel with.👍👍👍

Nice experience with ENJOY TRAVEL GROUP! Well done boys 😉. 100% recomended

Very bad I lost my flight because of them because they were irresponsible and they did not send me the confirmation code for my flight and of course they could not send it to me because they did not pay for my ticket and then I lost it, I do not recommend it very bad attention.

With them I have made all my trips to Cuba and they are excellent, I have never had the least inconvenience. And the best thing is that without moving from my house. I really recommend them 100%!

Extraordinary travel agency ... Organization and friendliness at the service of the traveler..I could enjoy my vacation in Paris and Spain at 100%

Without a doubt the best agency that has Miami, an exclusive and fast treatment and they always have the best option for us, I recommend them, Thanks to the whole team

Very good personalized service

The best option to travel to Cuba !!!

Very grateful for your help and professionalism!

• Best of 2022
• How to Spot a Trustworthy Website
• Dating Apps
• Shopping Discount Fashion
• Discount Clothing
• Discount Designer Clothing
• Affordable Wedding Dresses
• Affordable Activewear for Women
• Plus-Size Swimwear
• COVID-19 Resources
• Beauty Home
• Consumer Advocates
• Consumer Tips
• Write a Review
• For Business
• Request a Review
• Discussions
• Backed by the National Science Foundation
• Transportation
• Enjoy Travel

Unsolicited

Unsolicited - verified purchase.

Enjoy Travel has a rating of 1.23 stars from 27 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Enjoy Travel most frequently mention customer service, and rental company problems. Enjoy Travel ranks 145th among Car Rental sites.

• Shipping 12

This company does not typically respond to reviews

“Cheap and nice”

Cheap car with this firm i booked it and website was god and car was good said was fiat but was ford focus so was happy and will use again.

“Very bad.”

This company purposely puts their reviews on a website where they have power to remove them. Besides that, they are stealers who will take your money for doing nothing. They will purposely avoid communication with you if they think it will get them more money. Once they finally do reply they will be rude and continue to do sneaky things. Stay away.

Reviews (27)

• Follow Nathlock S.

Terrible service. They located in UK. We are 11 hours ahead of them. No urgent contact over the weekend. We couldn't pickup our car due to name mismatch. They failed to response to us 2 days after the initial pickup date. No apology, no credit, no service, no refund. This is one of those typical companies. If nothing happen, they are ok. If anything happens, they run faster than anyone. Don't use their service.

Tip for consumers: Do you home work before hiring

Products used: Car hire

From the business

• Visit Website
• Edit business info

Company Representative

Enjoy Travel - Orillia

Information about enjoy travel - orillia.

Opening hours

• Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Saturday: Closed
• Sunday: Closed

With Enjoy Travel, you’ll always receive customized and curated recommendations to suit your lifestyle. Let us help you book the escape that’s perfect for you. Why take any trip, when you can take a vacation that’s tailored specifically to you?

Enjoy Travel - Orillia: Reviews

Fantastic experience: I booked my very first trip using Enjoy Travel and Kayla was my travel agent. She helped me with the entire process of planning and was super great with answering all my questions! She was very quick to respond to emails and was incredibly helpful! I will 100% use Enjoy Travel again to book my future trips!

Fantastic experience: We're crazy excited about our upcoming trip and couldn't be happier with the expert advice & guidance we received from Ashley Melnyk. We would highly recommend her expertise! She's very knowledgeable and personalable. Her suggestions and personal experiences eased our minds as to where we wanted to go.

Fantastic experience: Ashlee provided prompt and courteous service and continues to answer questions I have regarding my vacation. I would not hesitate to use Ashlee again for my travel needs in the future.

Fantastic experience: What a GREAT travel agency! Kelly is helping us plan our 1st family getaway! She is extremely knowledgeable and very thorough with planning out the details of our trip. I'll never book online by myself, again!

Fantastic experience: Jodi Hudson has helped us book a few trips now. She takes all the stress out of booking a trip. I tell her where we want to go and she does the rest. We have been very pleased with her service. I highly recommend her and her team.

Leave your opinion about Enjoy Travel - Orillia:

Enjoy travel - orillia appears in the following listings:, other travel agencies that might interest you.

Trapnell InTravel Inc

CAA Store - Orillia

Wired for Travel

Gotta Go Travel TPI

Add your travel agency to our directory for free.

If you manage a travel agency and want to appear in our directory, add your company information and you will be able to appear completely free of charge.

Add your company for free

Solicitar un cambio

Are you the owner of the company?

The largest directory of travel agencies in Canada

Find the best travel agencies near you

Choose your country

Publish your travel agency for free

Suggested companies

Discovercars.com, holidaycars, vipcars.com.

EnjoyTravel.com   Reviews

In the Car Rental Agency category

Visit this website

Company activity See all

Write a review

Reviews 3.9.

4,938 total

Most relevant

All's well that ends well!

We were given the wrong information as exactly where to greet the car supplier, LagoRent. Instead we took advantage of our already included Jet2holidays.com hotel transfer. When Nathalie heard about our predicament she contacted LagoRent whose representative was waiting in a different nearby location to greet us! In the end, two really polite young lads delivered our car direct to the hotel after contacting us by phone. So, all's well that ends well. Full marks in the end to everyone involved. Jack & Annette

Date of experience : 24 April 2024

Fantastic customer service!

Fantastic customer service! When there's anything, just write an email to the customer service, and they resolve it very quickly. It really made my day better :-) P.S. Shout out to the customer service person that was super helpful - Nathalie. Thank you very much!

Date of experience : 25 April 2024

Excellent and swift customer service

I booked our car rental via Enjoy Travel and the whole process was very smooth and efficient. I was especially impressed with the service from Srabana who helped me change the name on the future rental booking, following me having an accident (and damaging my knee) which meant I was no longer able to drive the car.

I made a mistake but customer service…

I made a mistake but customer service team helped me to solve a problem. My recent issue (which was of my making) was handled by Sonia. She helped me and quickly solved my problem. Thank you Very much Sonia for helping .

I always now book my cars through Enjoy…

I always now book my cars through Enjoy Travel. Their customer service team are excellent. My recent issue (which was of my making) was handled by Nathalie with courtesy, efficiency and great understanding of the mistake i had made and the problem was resolved quickly. I no longer look any further than Enjoy travel, i have total confidence in their total system.

Date of experience : 19 April 2024

Very impressed with the speed and…

Very impressed with the speed and efficiency of the support team, and in particular Srabana who resolved an issue within minutes. Thank you!

Date of experience : 23 April 2024

Amazing service from Nathalie

Amazing service from Nathalie! Thank you for the rapidity, very happy with my easy interactions :)

Have booked two vehicles through Enjoy…

Have booked two vehicles through Enjoy Travel for upcoming trip to the UK and have made changes due to size and pricing, Srabana was awesome with the change around, very professional, he advised he would return the cancellation fee which is great! So far so good with booking process.

Date of experience : 17 April 2024

Car seat omission

In our rush to get the car booked we forgot to add on the kids car seats. I contacted Enjoy Travel. Nathalie replied from enjoy travel, got a quote from the supplier and arranged booking with really good communication throughout getting it sorted.

Date of experience : 16 April 2024

Rude and greedy

Don't expect any refunds from this greedy company. Also, Sonia is very rude in her emails. Might need some further training in customer service... Would not recommend

1sr class service

I have been using Enjoy for several years now, booking early to ensure I get the right car, however when I book early prices can be a little higher, that’s not a problem as once again Enjoy in the form of Nathalie have changed by booking to the new best price available. Once I had pointed out to the new lower price Nathalie could not have been more helpful and changed my booking, saving me £80 on my original booking !!! Well done and thank you Enjoy, great customer service 1st class Nathalie👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻🙏🏻

Date of experience : 15 April 2024

I made an error with my reservation and…

I made an error with my reservation and Srabana help me to correct my reservation. She was very courteous and prompt with offering me assistance. Thank you so much.

Enjoy travel is a scammer company

Enjoy travel is a scammer company, Took my third party insurance online, when i went to bargain rental, was told your insurance is not valid and not acceptable. Either you have to put $5000 bond or have to pay another insurance to take car. Was already late , paid another insurance and was informed enjoy travel and follow up message was given refund is declined, well i said you scammer and let it go. well nobody jis stupid to pay double insurance. Enjoy travel makes worst travel

Date of experience : 18 March 2024

Seriously think twice before using this…

Seriously think twice before using this company. Zero customer service, zero knowledge of the companies they work with. Insurance upgrades not valid. They will even threaten you with action if you say you will post a review or take to social media. Seriously not people you should be spending your hard earned money with.

Date of experience : 12 April 2024

Very helpful customer service operator!

I experienced payment problems while booking my car hire, and immediately got through to an absolutely lovely, kind and patient assistant called Natalie. She resolved the issue and could not have been more friendly or understanding. Such a good experience, and less usual it seems these days! Highly recommend!

Fair prices and great customer service

Fair prices and great customer service, very easy to deal with. Thanks Srabana! Will definitely use in future. Chris

Date of experience : 18 April 2024

Couldn't get the car I paid for

Couldn't get the car I paid for, had to find and alternative (and more expensive) solution. Never got my money back from enjoytravel. Never again! :(

My itinerary has changed

My itinerary has changed, so ı should change my rental reservation dates and thanks to Ms.Sonia, ı have managed to make it in couple of minuts via direct chat and received an updated voucher. Many thanks to Sonia!! Well done!!

Date of experience : 03 April 2024

DON'T USE ENJOY TRAVEL

Please, please , please DONT USE ENJOY TRAVEL!! I rented a car through them at Christmas, Salzburg airport they provided the wrong contact phone number , no car when I arrived , had to get train taxi and lifts from family to finally get car 2 days late!!repeatedly over the last 3 and a half months I've tried to get my expenses returned to me with no joy. My credit card company have returned the 2 days hire I never received because enjoy travel were at fault, please don't use them you certainly WONT ENJOY it . AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE.

Date of experience : 23 December 2023

Great customer service

At first there was a technical issue during my booking, so I didn't receive a confirmation, and I already paid for my booking. I called the phonenumber as mentioned on the website, they picked up quickly. Had the best help from Sonia, via chat and email. Very kind and quick response, many thanks Sonia!

Date of experience : 04 April 2024

Subscribe Now! Get features like

• Latest News
• Entertainment
• Real Estate
• Crick-it: Catch The Game
• Election Schedule 2024
• IPL 2024 Schedule
• IPL Points Table
• IPL Purple Cap
• IPL Orange Cap
• AP Board Results 2024
• The Interview
• Web Stories
• Virat Kohli
• Mumbai News
• Bengaluru News
• Daily Digest

Lok Sabha election 2024 Bengaluru: Here's what's closed and what's open tomorrow

Bengaluru prepares for voting day: schools, offices closed, liquor sales banned. essential services to remain operational..

The southern state of Karnataka is set to go into voting on Friday for as many as 14 seats as part of Phase 2 of the Lok Sabha election. In this light, several institutions, offices and services are set to be closed. Let's check what to expect tomorrow in the city of Bengaluru.

What is closed in Bengaluru tomorrow?

Closures are anticipated in various segments, adhering to the customary practice during elections. This includes schools, colleges, and similar educational institutions in Bengaluru, alongside non-essential government services.

ALSO READ | IT dept raids 16 locations in Bengaluru ahead of Lok Sabha elections, recovers crores in cash, gold, diamonds: Report

Corporate offices are mandated to grant leave to their employees, ensuring their participation in the voting process as per legal obligations.

The Karnataka High Court has also declared a general holiday for its Benches on April 26 and May 7 - the voting days in Karnataka, the Deccan Herald reported. Banks will also observe a holiday and follow suit in closure.

ALSO READ | Bengaluru Police suspends liquor sale for 3 days starting today. Check details, timings: Report

Bengaluru is also set to see three dry days as officials have temporarily suspended all liquor sales in the city in view of voting. The liquor sale ban has come into effect from 5 pm on Wednesday, April 24, and will be lifted only after midnight on April 26, according to a directive from the Bengaluru city police department.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC is also being enforced in the city, starting from 6 pm on April 24 until midnight on April 26. The order stipulates the prohibition of gatherings exceeding five individuals, rallies, public meetings, possession of lethal weapons and explosives, display and burning of effigies, delivery of provocative speeches, and public chanting of political slogans.

ALSO READ | Amit Shah holds massive roadshow in Bengaluru

What is open in Bengaluru tomorrow?

All essential services including public transport such as the BMTC, BMRCL, and hospitals will continue to function uninterrupted. Commercial establishments are expected to operate, albeit with delayed commencement to facilitate their eligible employees' early voting on election day.

• Lok Sabha Elections

Join Hindustan Times

Create free account and unlock exciting features like.

• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Weather Today
• HT Newsletters
• Subscription
• Print Ad Rates
• Code of Ethics

• Elections 2024
• DC vs SRH Live Score
• India vs England
• T20 World Cup 2024 Schedule
• IPL Live Score
• IPL 2024 Auctions
• T20 World Cup 2024
• Cricket Teams
• Cricket Players
• ICC Rankings
• Cricket Schedule
• Other Cities
• Income Tax Calculator
• Budget 2024
• Petrol Prices
• Diesel Prices
• Silver Rate
• Relationships
• Art and Culture
• Taylor Swift: A Primer
• Telugu Cinema
• Tamil Cinema
• Board Exams
• Exam Results
• Competitive Exams
• BBA Colleges
• Engineering Colleges
• Medical Colleges
• BCA Colleges
• Medical Exams
• Engineering Exams
• Horoscope 2024
• Festive Calendar 2024
• Compatibility Calculator
• The Economist Articles
• Explainer Video
• On The Record
• Vikram Chandra Daily Wrap
• PBKS vs DC Live Score
• KKR vs SRH Live Score
• EPL 2023-24
• ISL 2023-24
• Asian Games 2023
• Public Health
• Economic Policy
• International Affairs
• Climate Change
• Gender Equality
• future tech
• Daily Sudoku
• Daily Crossword
• Daily Word Jumble
• HT Friday Finance
• Explore Hindustan Times
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Subscription - Terms of Use

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

Truist Enjoy Travel credit card

Card details

20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,500 within 90 days of account opening

Earn 2x miles per $1 spent on airfare, car rentals, and hotels

Earn 1x miles per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases

Plus, a statement credit up to $85 for TSA Pre-Check® or Global Entry® fee is awarded once every four years

Loyalty Travel Bonus based on your Truist deposit relationship when you redeem your rewards for travel through the rewards program

Redeem miles for cash back, gift cards, hotel stays, airline tickets, and merchandise

Rates, fees & offers

Rewards rate, bonus offer.

20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,500 within 90 days of account opening.

Ongoing APR

APR: 18.49%-27.49%, Variable APR

Cash Advance APR: 27.49%, Variable

Balance transfer fee

3% of each advance ($10.00 minimum)

Foreign transaction fee

Recommended credit score.

Get your free credit score

Not sure which card is best for you?

• Articles   >

The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

Check out our new Moscow Indie Travel Guide , book a flight to Moscow and read 10 Bars with Views Worth Blowing the Budget For

Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission

• fr Passer en français / Switch to French language
• 604-719-7161 Primary
• www.enjoytourandtravel.com

Enjoy Tour & Travel

• Like this business? Add a photo

Enjoy Tour and Travel provides escorted tours for communities throughout British Columbia and those visiting Vancouver. Consult with Enjoy customer service for information on tours. We will continue to strive for excellence in 2013 and look forward to ensuring we meet and exceed the high expectations of our valued guests. Established in 2007, Enjoy Tour and Travel is unique in its ability to offer stimulating experiences to British Columbian residents and visitors to Vancouver. more... See more text

Products and Services

Opening hours *holiday hours, social media.

• Write a review
• Suggest an update

Ratings & Reviews - Enjoy Tour & Travel

Get an opinion about this business.

Think your friends might be familiar with this business? Ask your friends on Facebook to see what they think.

• Bus & Coach Rental & Charter |
• Bus & Coach Rental & Charter in BC |
• Bus & Coach Rental & Charter in Burnaby |
• Bus & Coach Rental & Charter in Metrotown |
• Burnaby-New Westminster |
• People search
• Get a free listing
• Advertise with us
• Download the app

County Road 26 to open Monday for local, critical trips

Limited travel for commuters using the lake city cutoff opens after state and county collaboration as bridge closure continues.

Montrose and Gunnison Counties — This weekend, CDOT and Gunnison County are working together to accelerate improvements to County Road 26 (Lake City Cutoff) so it can open Monday for local commuter travel between Montrose and Gunnison.  At the same time, engineers continue to conduct safety inspections of the US Highway 50 bridge crossing the Blue Mesa Reservoir at Dillon Pinnacles. This bridge, located west of Gunnison at Mile Point 136.3, closed Thursday in the interest of public safety after an inspection revealed a crack in one of the girders. The technical structure name for the bridge is K-07-B. 

Recognizing the US 50 closure creates a significant detour for commuters traveling between Montrose and Gunnison, CDOT and Gunnison County officials this weekend prioritized getting a shorter access route in place for local travel between the two communities. That collaboration will continue as officials work to further fortify the road with gravel and manage traffic to a level that the road can safely carry.

“We are starting slow in order to increase the chances we can go faster later. The impact on western Colorado cannot be understated and we are exhausting all opportunities and partnerships to mitigate the impacts of the bridge closure,” said Martin Schmidt, Assistant Gunnison County Manager for Public Works.

On Monday, April 22, pilot cars will lead  passenger vehicles through the access route two times a day in each direction. Because CR 26 is a high-mountain, unpaved road that is not intended to accommodate the traffic volumes of US 50, travel times will be limited and commercial vehicles exceeding a 16,001 gross vehicle weight rating are prohibited. The schedule for piloted travel is:

• 6 to 6:30 a.m. and 6 to 6:30 p.m. for westbound travel 
• 7 to 7:30 a.m. and 7 to 7:30 p.m. for eastbound travel 

The queue for westbound pilot car operations will start near the intersection of CO 149 and CR 26 and the queue for eastbound travel will start near the intersection of US 50 and CR 26. The travel time on the access route is expected to be 30 minutes or more.

County Road 26 will only be open for local, essential travel during these timeframes. The road will remain closed at all other times for the ongoing restoration work needed to ensure the road remains safe for travel.

A hotline and email continue to be in place to assist customers with questions about the closure. Anyone with questions can reach out via 970-648-4423 or [email protected] . Calls will be closely monitored and will receive a prompt reply. Information is also available on the project website at bit.ly/us50bridge . Travelers should refer to COtrip.org or the smartphone COtrip Planner app to plan an alternate route.

“CDOT appreciates Gunnison county’s dedication and hard work as we cooperate to offer more options to help the western slope manage this safety closure.  CDOT will continue to support the county as we focus on the opening of County Road 26 to serve the critical needs of residents,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “County Road 26 is an important local route that is up to five hours more efficient than detouring via state highways. However, this road currently has a natural roadbed and can only accommodate limited traffic - so it is important that we help Gunnison County focus this capacity on the needs of local communities most impacted by the closure.”

There are two recommended detours for through travel via Interstate 70 to the north or US 160 to the south and these detours add six to eight hours of travel time. CDOT is coordinating with emergency service providers to ensure emergency response is unaffected.

Travel Impacts  

• US 50 is closed between Montrose and Gunnison
• Recommended alternate routes are I-70 to the north or US 160 to the south
• A limited, local detour is in place for travel at specific times

Project Contact Information 

For additional information about this project, contact the project team.  

• Webpage: bit.ly/us50bridge
• Information hotline: 970-648-4423 
• Email: [email protected]  
• Fact Sheet: County 26 Local Access
• Hoja informativa del proyecto:  Ruta de acceso local en la County Road 26

Download the COtrip App!

The new free COtrip Planner mobile app was designed to meet the growing trend of information on mobile and tablet devices for the traveling public. The COtrip Planner app provides statewide, real-time traffic information, and works on mobile devices that operate on the iOS and Android platforms. Visit the Google Play Store (Android devices) or the Apple Store (iOS devices) to download!

Ask MetaFilter

What to do with a few hours in moscow march 25, 2013 12:43 pm   subscribe.

Construction begins on high-speed rail between Vegas and California

Brightline west will make the trip between las vegas and rancho cucamonga in a little over two hours.

Privately owned train company Brightline held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for a $12 billion high-speed rail project connecting Las Vegas and Southern California.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg joined company leaders and other officials for the start of construction in Las Vegas.

Brightline West benefits from $3 billion in federal funds from President Biden ’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Trains could be running as soon as early 2028, in time for the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Travelers have a lot to look forward to. Electric trains will depart every 45 minutes from a Las Vegas station south of the city’s storied Strip and a Southern California station in Rancho Cucamonga, a Los Angeles suburb about 40 miles east of downtown.

Traveling at up to 186 mph — faster than any other train in the United States — Brightline West trains will make the 218-mile trip in about 2 hours and 10 minutes.

“At long last, we’re building the first high-speed rail project in our nation’s history,” President Biden said of Brightline West in December. “We’ve been talking about this project for decades. Now we’re really getting it done.”

Other high-speed railroads that would carry passengers at 200 mph and faster are in the works in California, Texas and the Pacific Northwest.

“The bottom line here is we changed the trajectory,” Buttigieg said in an interview Monday. More than $30 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been awarded to date and more is on the way, he added.

The success of the Brightline West project could influence how future rail projects receive funding.

“It won’t be easy but I think they have all of the right things in place to get this done,” Buttigieg said.

Speed is Brightline West’s main selling point. Driving between Rancho Cucamonga and Las Vegas takes at least three hours without traffic, according to Google Maps.

“You’ll be sitting there flying by on Brightline looking at all these brake lights on the highway and thinking, ‘It sucks to be you,’” said Jim Mathews, CEO of the Rail Passengers Association , said on Friday. “That’s what it’s going to be like for all those people trying to get from greater Los Angeles to Las Vegas.”

Brightline West trains will run along Interstate 15 for nearly their entire journey. They will make two intermediate stops in California: one in Hesperia and one in Apple Valley.

Travelers coming from Los Angeles will have the option of riding Metrolink , Southern California’s regional rail system, to the Rancho Cucamonga station located near the junction of Interstates 10 and 15. The trip between downtown Los Angeles and Rancho Cucamonga takes at least 50 minutes by car without traffic, or 1 hour and 15 minutes on the train.

“Getting it to a juncture where pretty much everybody who passes into the I-15 corridor goes through is a massive benefit from a climate perspective, a congestion perspective, and an economic perspective,” Buttigieg said.

Future plans include a direct connection for Brightline West to Los Angeles Union Station as part of the separate California High-Speed Rail project.

Speed won’t be the only reason to ride Brightline West.

Brightline’s Florida operation connecting Miami to Orlando opened in September , giving future customers out West an idea of what to expect. Before Brightline’s debut, Amtrak held a monopoly on intercity passenger rail travel for decades.

Stations are spacious with comfortable areas to sit, bars selling craft cocktails and a lounge for premium passengers. Onboard, travelers enjoy assigned seats and fast WiFi. Attendants come down the aisle serving snacks and drinks throughout the trip.

Brightline told investors that it carried a record 258,307 passengers in March, and that one in three of its trains were nearly full.

Brightline’s strong ridership, though slower than initially promised to investors, makes a strong case for building fast and frequent trains between major U.S. cities such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Brightline West estimates that 6 million people will ride its trains during the first full year of operation, according to a federal environmental assessment . That number is projected to grow to as many as 9.2 million people within a decade.

The company estimates that, without the train, three-quarters of its riders would drive between Southern California and Las Vegas. Another 15 percent would fly, and the balance would not make the trip at all.

More travel news

How we travel now: More people are taking booze-free trips — and airlines and hotels are taking note. Some couples are ditching the traditional honeymoon for a “buddymoon” with their pals. Interested? Here are the best tools for making a group trip work.

Bad behavior: Entitled tourists are running amok, defacing the Colosseum , getting rowdy in Bali and messing with wild animals in national parks. Some destinations are fighting back with public awareness campaigns — or just by telling out-of-control visitors to stay away .

Safety concerns: A door blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet, leaving passengers traumatized — but without serious injuries. The ordeal led to widespread flight cancellations after the jet was grounded, and some travelers have taken steps to avoid the plane in the future. The incident has also sparked a fresh discussion about whether it’s safe to fly with a baby on your lap .

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

The Maya Train Will Get You to All of Yucatán’s Best Spots. But Not Yet.

In December, the train began running on its first route through Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. On a five-day journey a few months later, the author encountered enthusiasm, and scheduling hiccups.

By Elisabeth Malkin

Elisabeth Malkin has been visiting the Yucatán Peninsula for three decades.

I stepped off the platform at the gleaming new Maxcanú train station, eager to see the magnificent Maya archaeological site of Uxmal. All I needed was a taxi to take me there, a trip of about 30 miles away.

There are no taxis, said the stationmaster, as we stood on the polished limestone floors of the high-ceilinged station, which was cool and breezy despite the brilliant late-morning sun outside. And I was the third person in two weeks to get off at Maxcanú expecting to reach Uxmal, he said.

I was midway through a five-day trip to explore the brand-new Maya Train and several of its destinations in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico . Designed to run 965 miles (1,554 kilometers) around a loop of 34 stations when completed, the train will whisk passengers in cool comfort through colonial cities, archaeological sites, splashy resorts and tropical forests.

Now I was stunned. Wrangling a taxi has never been a problem in Mexico. But the drivers gathered in the main square of Maxcanú offered only beat-up vans that hopscotch through small towns, where I might or might not find a taxi to Uxmal. The next van was leaving in 45 minutes.

Yucatán’s layers of history have long held me spellbound. During earlier car trips, I have clambered up deserted Maya temples and palaces, stepped into the cool naves of massive 16th-century churches and visited restored haciendas, testaments of the ostentation — and hardship — of the peninsula’s 19th-century plantation economy. Traveling by train, I thought, would allow me to steep myself in more of that history.

But as I found in Maxcanú, a train won’t necessarily get you to where you want to go.

During my February trip, I traveled on the only route then available, an east-west leg that opened in December and runs from Cancún to Mérida, and then south through the port city of Campeche to the Maya site of Palenque (a short route between Cancún and Playa del Carmen opened last month, with three trains a day). I encountered scheduling confusion, unfinished stations and a dearth of trains — just two operating daily each way between Cancún and Campeche, and only one to Palenque. Overnight sleepers and special dining trains seem years away.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador considers the Maya Train his showcase development project, and wants to inaugurate the rest of the train before he leaves office on October 1. Based on my experience, that goal seems elusive.

A $29-billion route through the jungle

I started my journey in Cancún, where in the pre-dawn gloom the station hovered like a glowing spaceship. An attendant scanned the ticket I had bought online and a half-dozen more pointed me toward my tourist-class car, which was about a quarter full. I planned to go to Campeche, about 300 miles away, stopping once each day. At 120 kilometers (about 75 miles) an hour, the train covers the route in about six hours, the same as a car. (When construction is complete, the train’s speed should increase to 160 kilometers an hour.)

The car’s wide windows looked out at a wall of low jungle. The blue-green seats were comfortable and there was ample space between the rows. I bought a very good cappuccino at the snack bar, but declined the plastic-wrapped sandwiches. The rest of the merchandise was fruit cups, milk boxes and junk food.

The train will ultimately cost much more than the $29 billion budgeted so far, and it’s not the first time ambitious planners have alighted on the region. Cancún was once a tiny fishing village, selected half a century ago as a tourist hub. Last year 10 million international tourists flew into its airport, more than the airports of Mexico City, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta combined.

But uncontrolled growth has stressed the Caribbean coast’s fragile environment. The Maya Train, scientists warn , will push those problems south, threatening the area’s water supply, its unique system of underground limestone caves and its vast nature reserves.

Mr. López Obrador has charged ahead, handing the train over to the military , and arguing that it will spread Cancún’s wealth and attract new visitors. Mexico received more than 42 million overseas tourists last year and they spent almost $31 billion .

Local governments see an opportunity. “The train will allow people to disperse throughout the peninsula,” said Michelle Fridman, the tourism secretary for Yucatán state, which promotes dozens of attractions far beyond highlights like Mérida and Chichén Itzá .

Now that the train is operating, transport companies will begin to connect stations with lesser-known sites nearby, she said.

It’s fair to ask whether the train is the most effective way to develop the peninsula’s tourism. Tour companies already run trips to many sites from major cities, which are well served by buses. Driving a rental car through most of the area is considered safe , according to U.S. State Department travel guidance .

Route of Mexico’s Maya Train

Canceled trip.

It took two hours (and one time-zone change) to reach Valladolid, a colonial city of handsome streets and ancient churches, where I bought the rest of my tickets at the station. A tourist-class ticket from Cancún to Valladolid costs 472 pesos (around $28) for foreigners and 355 pesos (around $21) for Mexicans. First class, with wider seats, costs 755.50 pesos and 566.50 pesos, and discounts are available for older travelers and residents of the five states along the train’s route. (A first-class bus from downtown Cancún to Valladolid costs between 222 and 344 pesos, depending on the time of day, and takes half an hour longer.)

It was impossible to run the new Maya Train tracks into dense city centers and the Valladolid station, like the rest, was outside the urban core. A waiting bus took disembarking passengers downtown, a 15-minute ride for 35 pesos.

That day I toured Ek Balam , the site of a ninth-century Maya kingdom that is dominated by a 100-foot palace distinguished by a facade of carvings depicting winged warriors, stylized animal features and geometric patterns bordered by giant fangs. Admission to the site includes entry to the X-Canché cenote, one of thousands of limestone sinkholes that were sacred to the Maya.

Later that afternoon, I was wandering through the Museum of Ethnic Clothing, a private collection of traditional dress, embroidery and hats, when a WhatsApp message from the ticket office blinked on my phone. My train scheduled for the following day was canceled.

I decided to deal with the problem in the morning and enjoy the city. As I wandered past the antique shops and boutique hotels of the elegant Calzada de los Frailes, it was clear that Valladolid’s tourism, and the infrastructure to handle it, was well established. The Maya Train is simply an alternative way to reach a city that tourists discovered years ago.

‘We’re on the Tren Maya!’

In the morning, I found that my train had not been canceled, but the station for which I had a ticket, Tixkokob, was closed. I got off instead one stop earlier at Izamal, known for its ocher streets and the giant Franciscan convent of San Antonio de Padua, built atop the ruins of a pyramid.

During the 90-minute ride, I heard widespread enthusiasm among fellow travelers who expressed a willingness to give the train time to work out the kinks. “We’re an experiment,” said Oliva Escobedo Ochoa, 64, who was vacationing from her home in central Mexico.

Leticia Iliassich, 57, who is Mexican, was traveling with her Croatian husband along with relatives from Mexico and Croatia. They had initially been scheduled on an earlier train to Mérida that had been canceled. “We knew that it was a new project,” she said. “We don’t mind.”

The group had already sent a video to friends declaring, “We’re on the Tren Maya!”

At the Izamal station I hitched a 15-minute ride into the town center with a man who had asked me to take his photo alongside the train and his father. From there I negotiated a taxi to Hacienda San Lorenzo Aké, a working hacienda that still turns the fiber from an agave plant called henequén into coarse rope. Global demand for henequén, known as Yucatán’s “green gold,” brought fantastic wealth to the region in the mid-19th century, speckling the peninsula with more than 1,000 haciendas. ( Many are now sumptuous hotels.)

Where geometry, nature and the divine merge

It was during my third day that I found myself stuck in Maxcanú, after a 90-minute train ride from Izamal. The stationmaster, an army captain, offered me a ride to Uxmal, just as he had to the stranded tourists before me.

Eying Uxmal’s 4 p.m. final ticket sale, I accepted.

My situation made it clear just how distant the Maya Train’s promises are for tourists seeking to explore more of Yucatán. In time, that will change, said Ms. Fridman, the tourism secretary. “The idea is to have more hotels along the train line,” she said. “That will happen little by little.”

But Uxmal , among the most stunning of the Maya sites, made up for the inconvenience. Uxmal’s grand buildings are faced with intricate decorative masks as well as friezes in which geometry, nature and the divine merge. New plaques at each structure offer detailed information in English and Spanish, part of the government’s investment in improving displays at Maya sites for the train project.

Most tourists either take day trips by car or bus to Uxmal from Mérida or stay at one of three nearby hotels. As I finished dinner at my hotel, the dining room began to fill up: 47 Polish tourists had arrived.

Panama hats and a cramped van

My plan for the day was to go by taxi to Bécal, a town where Panama hats are woven in limestone caves to keep the fibers soft, and then pick up the afternoon train in nearby Calkiní for the port city of Campeche.

But I spent so much time watching the hat-making demonstration and then fitting my new hat and buying gifts that we set off with little time to reach the station. To my chagrin, I missed the train, the last one of the day.

On Calkiní’s central square, I found a van that was leaving for Campeche. Cost: 65 pesos. Time: about 1 hour and 20 minutes, similar to what I would have spent on the train. Of course, I was trapped in a cramped seat and had to listen to the driver’s choice of sentimental ballads, but I was dropped off in downtown Campeche, close to my hotel.

The next day, I toured the Museum of Maya Archaeology , an expertly curated collection that included haunting jade funeral masks, glyphs and delicate ceramic figures.

José Madrigal, 45, an engineer from Fremont, Calif., was trying to make Maya pottery interesting for his twin sons. The boys had just turned 5 and their birthday present had been a ride on the Maya Train. “They love trains,” Mr. Madrigal said. Then the family moved on, keeping up a brisk clip through the museum. They had another train to catch.

Should you take the train?

Yes, if you are traveling between larger stations. The train also offers a way to get to Palenque, which is harder to reach and has roads with security concerns. Travelers can stow bicycles on board.

To see train times, check the destinations on the website . You cannot buy tickets online more than a week in advance. But when you finally board, the ride is smooth — and the coffee is excellent.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .