Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
6 min of reading 
1 comment 
With the First Night Train for Passengers in the Country in Three Decades, the Vitória to Minas Railroad Will Gain Extra Trips Between Belo Horizonte and Cariacica During Holiday Months, on a Route of 664 km with Air-Conditioned Cars, Executive and Economy Seats, and Operations Scheduled to Begin in January 2026.
The first night train for passengers in Brazil in 30 years now has a date to come to fruition. Vale announced a new extra schedule on the Vitória to Minas Railroad, connecting Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais to Cariacica in the metropolitan area of Vitória in Espírito Santo. Night trips will start operating in January 2026, initially during school holiday months, on a stretch of 664 kilometers that is already traveled daily during the day.
In practice, the first night train will have daily departures at night from both ends, adding a new time window to the rail service that has already transported 857,000 passengers in a single year. The measure responds to demand pressure during holiday periods and meets the requirements of the railway concession renewal process, in an agreement defined between Vale and ANTT.
How the First Night Train from Vale Will Be
The first night train from Vale on the Vitória to Minas Railroad will be an extra schedule in relation to the existing daytime trips. Currently, passenger trains depart simultaneously at 7 AM from both Belo Horizonte and the Pedro Nolasco station in Cariacica.
-
Brazilian city gains industrial hub for 85 companies that is equivalent to 55 football fields.
-
Peugeot and Citroën factory in Argentina cuts production by half and opens a layoff program for more than 2,000 employees after Brazil drastically reduced purchases of Argentine vehicles.
-
A Brazilian city gains a factory worth R$ 300 million with the capacity to process 200 thousand tons of wheat per year, a mill of 660 tons/day, silos for 42 thousand tons, and an industrial area of 276 thousand m².
-
Havan will leave the shopping mall in Blumenau to inaugurate something that the chain has never done before: a megastore in half-timbered style in the Historic Center of the city, which is expected to be completed in May and change the landscape of local retail.
With the new operation, starting in January 2026, the trains will gain a specific second daily cycle for the night period. The decision to operate the first night train as an additional service, and not a substitute, aims to ease the school holiday overcrowding when the flow of tourists and visitors pressures the available seats in the traditional service.
Route, Travel Time, and Served Stations
The passenger train on the Vitória to Minas Railroad travels 664 kilometers of tracks between Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, crossing 42 municipalities and passing through 30 boarding and disembarking stations. On average, the daytime journey takes about 13.5 hours, arriving at the final destinations around 8:30 PM.
On the first night train, the travel time will be similar, but with inverted windows. In the direction Belo Horizonte – Cariacica, the departure is scheduled for 7 PM, arriving at 8:15 AM the next day.
In the opposite direction, the train will leave the Pedro Nolasco station at 6 PM, arriving in the Minas capital at 7:50 AM. At night, the train is expected to serve 14 selected stations based on current passenger demand, and not all 30 stops available in the daytime service.
Fleet, Comfort, and Car Configuration
The cars of the first night train will be air-conditioned and equipped with video monitors and charging outlets for smartphones and laptops, repeating the standard already used by Vale in the daytime service of the Vitória to Minas Railroad.
The trains feature economy class cars with a capacity of up to 75 passengers and executive cars with 57 seats. There are also specific cars for a restaurant, snack bar, generator, and assistance for wheelchair users.
The idea is that the night journey provides minimum comfort conditions for a journey of over 13 hours, in a controlled environment prepared for long distances.
Concession Requirements and ANTT Role
The creation of the first night train on the Vitória to Minas line is part of the set of obligations assumed by Vale in the process of the early renewal of its railway concession, concluded in 2020.
The new passenger schedule is one of the countermeasures monitored by the National Agency of Land Transport, ANTT.
In addition to the holiday night train, the concessionaire must deliver an urban mobility set of works along the railway under its responsibility by 2030, including road viaducts, walkways, and protective walls in urban areas.
These interventions aim to reduce conflicts between the railway line, local traffic, and pedestrian circulation, as well as increase operational safety.
Current Service Profile and Demand Pressure
The passenger train on the Vitória to Minas Railroad is one of the few long-distance services still operating in the country.
In 2024, the line transported 857,000 users, daily linking two metropolitan regions on a route used by both tourists and residents commuting between the two states.
During January, July, and December, school holiday periods in much of the country, demand for seats increases, putting pressure on traditional schedules.
It is precisely during these months that the first night train will begin operating, expanding the seat offer and creating an alternative timetable for those who prefer to travel at night to arrive at their destination in the morning.
Ticket Sales and Fare Values
Tickets for the new night schedule will follow the same sales logic already known to passengers on the Belo Horizonte – Cariacica route.
Ticket sales are scheduled to begin on a Thursday, the 20th, and, for security reasons, there will be no night sales at the stations: service will be concentrated during business hours and via the operator’s website.
Ticket prices will be adjusted starting December 10, in line with parameters set by ANTT. Until that date, a full fare in the economy class for the entire route costs R$ 81, while the executive class is priced at R$ 116.
The first night train will follow the same regulatory logic, with fares adjusted by the regulatory body and differentiated according to the chosen class.
Other Long-Distance Passenger Trains in Brazil
Today, the country has only two long-distance passenger trains in regular operation, both under the responsibility of Vale. In addition to the Vitória to Minas Railroad, which connects Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, there is the Carajás Railroad, which links São Luís in Maranhão to Parauapebas in Pará.
Unlike the daily service of the Vitória to Minas, the Carajás Railroad operates with three weekly departures from each end, with maintenance stops on Wednesdays.
As part of the contractual obligations of the concession renewal, Vale will have to implement daily departures from São Luís and Parauapebas starting in the second half of 2027.
In 2024, Carajás reached a record of 423,000 passengers transported, reinforcing the residual yet still relevant role of long-distance rail transport in the country.
What the First Night Train Represents for the Passenger
The resumption of a first night train in three decades places long-distance travel by rail back on the map of transportation options between Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, especially for those looking to combine lower costs with the possibility of arriving at their destination rested in the morning.
Among operational adjustments, selection of night stations, and demand evaluation throughout the debut month, the service will serve as a gauge to measure the public’s appetite for night train travel in Brazil.
If the uptake is high, the model could solidify as a stable alternative to the combination of bus and plane on a route historically served by the railway.
And you, considering travel time, cost, and comfort, would you embrace the experience of crossing 664 kilometers on the first night train between Belo Horizonte and Cariacica, or would you remain loyal to buses and planes on this route?
São 13hrs de viagem, esses trem poderia tem cabine seria mais confortável.