Of all the experiences Serra Gaúcha has to offer, the Maria Fumaça steam train ride is one of the most memorable for visitors. Not so much for the scenery itself—which is pretty, but not breathtaking—but for the party atmosphere that happens inside: live music, dancing, theater, and wine and sparkling wine tastings, all rolling through the cars as the train covers 23 kilometers between Bento Gonçalves and Carlos Barbosa, passing through Garibaldi.

If you’re planning a trip to Gramado and Canela and want to add a unique day trip to your itinerary, this ride deserves a spot. Bento Gonçalves is about 120 km from Gramado—roughly a two-hour drive on the RS-115—and the day is well spent if you combine the train with a visit to the Vale dos Vinhedos or a local winery. Here’s everything you need to know before buying your ticket.

What Is the Maria Fumaça

The Maria Fumaça is a historic steam locomotive that now operates as a tourist attraction in the mountainous region of Rio Grande do Sul. The locomotive itself is authentic—steam-powered, with the noise, smoke, and classic look of early 20th-century trains. The cars have been renovated for tourist comfort but keep the vintage aesthetic.

The ride is operated exclusively by Giordani Turismo and is part of a set of cultural experiences celebrating the Italian immigrant heritage of Serra Gaúcha. It’s no coincidence that the route cuts through three cities marked by this history: Bento Gonçalves, recognized as the national wine capital; Garibaldi, a benchmark for Brazilian sparkling wines; and Carlos Barbosa, home to artisanal cheeses and the famous Tramontina factory.

The ride is festive by nature. Each car features performers throughout the entire trip—Italian folk dance groups, gaúcho musicians, and interactive theater sketches. At the same time, samples of wine, moscatel sparkling wine, and grape juice are served during the stops. It’s a mix of culture and fun that works great for couples, groups of friends, and families with kids over five.

The Route: Bento Gonçalves, Garibaldi, and Carlos Barbosa

The route is 23 kilometers long and takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes by train. Departures can be from Bento Gonçalves toward Carlos Barbosa, or the reverse—depending on the time you choose. On the Bento → Carlos Barbosa route, the locomotive leaves Bento station, makes a 15-minute stop in Garibaldi, and arrives at the final destination, where buses take passengers back to Bento. On the reverse route, the bus takes you to Carlos Barbosa and the train heads back to Bento.

In Garibaldi—the intermediate stop—everyone gets off to breathe, photograph the train, and have another round of sparkling wine. This is where you’ll find the famous car 215, the only one that still preserves the original wooden benches from the era. It’s worth stepping inside for a closer look. There are also street vendors selling grostoli, those fried dough pastries dusted with sugar and cinnamon that are a specialty of Italian-Gaúcho cuisine.

The landscape along the route mixes stretches of dense forest, urban areas, and some more rural patches with vineyards in the distance. It’s not a spectacular, jaw-dropping view—especially if the hydrangeas aren’t in bloom (they appear between October and February, peaking in November and December). But the scenery is pleasant, and the vibe inside the cars more than makes up for any purely scenic expectations.

What Happens Inside the Cars

The first thing you’ll notice when boarding is the little plastic cup each passenger receives—and it’s going to get a lot of use during the trip. In the cars, performers take turns with acts that can include the tarantella (Italian folk dance), gaúcho music, improvised theater with the audience, and other attractions that vary by day and time.

The host in each car announces the acts over the microphone, points out landmarks along the route, and shares bits of the region’s history. The seats are for two people, and above each one, there’s a holder for your plastic cup—so you don’t have to hold it while you applaud the performers. It’s hard to get bored. The 1.5-hour trip flies by.

A tip that makes a difference: if you like photographing the whole train, go to the last car. From there, you can frame the entire locomotive ahead of you, with smoke billowing from the chimney—the most classic shot of the ride. If you prefer more peace and less commotion, you might find the middle cars a bit calmer.

Onboard, snacks and drinks are also available for purchase from a cart that passes through the cars during the trip. If you’re a more sophisticated wine lover, know this upfront: the labels served during the ride are simple. The Maria Fumaça’s purpose is fun and cultural celebration, not refined tasting. For that, a visit to a winery in Vale dos Vinhedos makes much more sense.

The Epopeia Italiana: The Show That Closes the Ride

After the train arrives at its destination and the bus takes everyone back to Bento Gonçalves, most packages include entry to the Epopeia Italiana Theme Park, located right next to the station. It’s a 40-minute scenic show that reconstructs the story of Italian immigration to Rio Grande do Sul in the late 19th century.

Visitors walk through different sets that simulate a ship’s hold, stretches of dense forest, and small colonial towns—following the narrative of a young immigrant couple who left Italy in search of a better life in Brazil. There’s fake snow, sound effects, video projections, and live actors. Filming or photography is not allowed at any point during the show, which might frustrate those wanting to post everything on social media, but it helps the audience stay present in the experience.

If you plan to do both—the train and Epopeia—set aside at least four hours for this block, plus travel time to and from Gramado.

Tickets and Prices

The train ride combined with entry to the Epopeia Italiana starts at R$ 235 per person if purchased directly from the Giordani Turismo website (giordaniturismo.com.br), an option that does not include transfer. Children up to five years old ride for free but must sit on their parents’ laps for the entire trip—seat availability for little ones depends on the day.

For those staying in Gramado or Canela who prefer not to worry about the logistics of getting to Bento, the most practical option is to book a package with transfer included through local agencies like Brocker Turismo or other operators in downtown Gramado. This type of package—with round-trip transportation, tickets for the train and the Epopeia Italiana—costs around R$ 419 per person. There are also more complete options, including a typical lunch, which can reach R$ 540 per person depending on the agency and season.

It’s worth checking discount platforms like Laçador de Ofertas, where packages often appear at promotional prices, especially during low-season weeks. Always confirm what’s included in the package before closing the deal: not all include lunch or a winery stop.

How to Get to Bento Gonçalves from Gramado

Gramado is about 120 km from Bento Gonçalves. By car, the most common route is via the RS-115, passing through Caxias do Sul—roughly a two-hour drive. There’s also the route via Bom Princípio, which can be a bit shorter depending on your starting point in Gramado. The road is good and well-signposted.

If you prefer not to drive, Gramado’s tour agencies are the simplest solution. Practically all major operators sell packages with bus departures from Gramado, usually between 7:00 AM and 8:30 AM. The bus picks up passengers at hotels or has a central boarding point—confirm the exact time and location at the time of purchase. With a transfer, you arrive in Bento with plenty of time for the train schedule (2:00 PM or 4:00 PM) without having to worry about a thing.

There is no direct, practical public transportation between Gramado and Bento Gonçalves that allows you to do the ride comfortably in a single day. Uber is expensive and scarce in Serra Gaúcha. For those without a car who prefer not to pay for the full package with transfer, the only alternative is the intercity bus—but the connections involve transfers and the route isn’t straightforward. The package with a local agency transfer is, in practice, the most viable option for those without a car.

Schedules and When to Go

Train schedules vary by time of year. In January, July, November, and December—peak season months—there are daily departures, usually at 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM from Bento Gonçalves (or the reverse, depending on the package). From February to October, rides typically happen only on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

The best time to go depends on what you want. October and November are spring months, when the hydrangeas are in bloom and the landscape along the route is more colorful and vibrant. Winter (June to August) has the charm of cold weather, which pairs perfectly with sipping sparkling wine inside the warm train. In July, during school holidays, the ride tends to sell out—buy your ticket well in advance, preferably a week or more ahead.

If you plan to enjoy the Gramado Natal Luz 2026 (from October 23, 2026, to January 18, 2027) and also want to include the Maria Fumaça, know that in December everything in Serra Gaúcha gets very crowded. Book the ride weeks in advance—or, preferably, even before booking your hotel.

What to Combine with the Maria Fumaça on the Same Day

The train ride plus the Epopeia Italiana takes about four hours. That leaves time to include one or two more stops in Bento Gonçalves and the surrounding area, especially if you have a car.

The most popular combination is with the Vale dos Vinhedos, which is less than 15 minutes from Bento. You can visit one or two wineries for fine wine tastings before boarding the train—ideally in the morning, before noon. Most of the more visitable wineries require advance reservations and have guided tours at set times, so plan ahead.

If your route passes through Carlos Barbosa, the town at the end of the line has a large Tramontina retail store, which attracts many tourists for its variety and prices lower than those found in urban center stores. Right across the street, there’s a cheese shop selling artisanal cheeses from the region—a good stop for buying edible souvenirs that are slightly lighter than cases of wine.

Garibaldi is also worth extra exploration beyond the train stop. The town has the Rota dos Espumantes (Sparkling Wine Route), with several cellars open to the public that produce some of Brazil’s most famous sparkling wines. If you go in February, you might coincide with Fenavinho, the National Wine Festival of Bento Gonçalves.

Practical Tips for Making the Most of It

• Buy in advance. In July and December, rides sell out easily. Don’t leave it for the day before—and during peak season, book at least a week ahead.
• Arrive early at Bento station. With 30 minutes to spare, you can pick up your ticket calmly, choose your car, and hit the restroom without rushing.
• Last car for photos. This is where you can frame the entire locomotive with smoke coming out of the chimney—the most classic and most shared image of the ride.
• Dress in layers. Even in summer, the breeze comes in through the train windows. In winter (June to August), the cold is intense in the mountains—a jacket, scarf, and gloves are essential.
• Don’t expect sophisticated wines. The samples served on the train are of simple quality. For a more serious tasting, plan a separate visit to a winery in Vale dos Vinhedos.
• Confirm the bus departure time from Gramado with the agency the day before. Buses usually leave between 7:00 AM and 8:30 AM, and delays in arrival can compromise the train schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Maria Fumaça locomotive really steam-powered?

Yes. The historic locomotive is steam-powered, which explains its popular name—for the white smoke that comes out of the chimney during the route. The cars have been renovated for modern tourist use, but the engine is authentic and part of the region’s railway heritage.

Do I need to buy my ticket in advance?

Yes, especially in July, November, and December. During low-season months, there’s more availability, but booking a few days in advance is always recommended. The Giordani Turismo website and Gramado agencies make online sales easy.

Can small children participate in the ride?

Yes. Children up to 5 years old enter for free but must sit on their parents’ laps for the entire trip—the seats are for adults. Children over 5 pay the regular ticket. The experience is quite lively and usually appeals to kids who enjoy music and movement.

How much time should I set aside if I’m leaving from Gramado with a transfer?

Set aside the whole day. Packages departing from Gramado usually leave between 7:00 AM and 8:30 AM and return around 7:00 PM to 7:30 PM. If you only do the train without the Epopeia Italiana and without extra stops, the day is shorter—but to make the most of the day trip, it’s worth going with plenty of time.

Does the ride happen in the rain?

Yes. The train runs in light or moderate rain, as the cars are enclosed and protect passengers. In case of very strong storms, Giordani may cancel or postpone the ride. If the forecast calls for a storm, confirm with the operator or the agency where you bought the package the day before.