Best Train Journeys in the World
In a modern world where traveling between destinations is viewed as a waste of time and resources, it is hard to actually comprehend the beauty of some of the most spectacular rides on the planet. Far less comfortable, yet far more beautiful and interesting, the time spent between two destinations is equally captivating and offers many sights and sounds.
While we are very much in a century where we have ‘no time to stand and stare’, there are still some awesome train rides across the globe where the trip itself turns into a destination. So how about hopping on these 10 grand train journeys?
#1. Glacier Express
Arguably the slowest ‘express’ on the planet, the 180 mile ride on this delightful route takes a good 8 hours. Not that we are complaining about the pace as this offers you loads of time to catch a glimpse of the magical panorama that lies on its path, which links the two mountain resorts of St. Moritz and Zermatt in the Swiss Alps.
The Glacier Express is an express train connecting railway stations of the two major mountain resorts of St. Moritz and Zermatt in the Swiss Alps. The train is operated jointly by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB) and Rhaetian Railway (RhB). For much of its journey, it also passes along and through the World Heritage Site known as the Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes.
The train is not an "express" in the sense of being a high-speed train, but rather, in the sense that it provides a one-seat ride for a long duration travel. In fact it has the reputation of being the slowest express train in the world.[1] As St. Moritz and Zermatt are home to two well-known mountains, the Glacier Express is also said to travel from Piz Bernina to Matterhorn.
The Glacier Express first ran in 1930. Initially, it was operated by three railway companies: the Brig–Visp–Zermatt Bahn (BVZ), the Furka Oberalp Bahn, and the RhB. Since 2003, the train has been operated by RhB and a newly established company, the MGB, which arose from a merger between the BVZ and the FO.
The trip on the Glacier Express is a 7½ hour railway journey across 291 bridges, through 91 tunnels and across the Oberalp Pass on the highest point at 2,033 m (6,670 ft) in altitude. The entire line is metre gauge (narrow gauge railway), and large portions of it use a rack-and-pinion system both for ascending steep grades and to control the descent of the train on the back side of those grades.
#2. Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Linking some of the best cities of Europe including London, Venice, Rome, Budapest or Prague, the Orient Express is the most charming way to travel on tracks. With scores of movies, novels and romantic Hollywood scenes captured on this luxurious trip, this is one for those with deep pockets. The three day trip past the beautiful countryside of France, Switzerland and Austria will cost well over 2,000 Euros for the old-age charm of the Orient Express.
The Pride of Africa is a train journey that no nature lover should ever miss if they wish to explore the beauty, majesty and the hidden grandeur of the spectacular Dark Continent at a leisurely pace. Apart from the impeccable comfort it has to offer, the once in a year trip planned on the ‘Pride of Africa’ will take you on a 14-day epic expedition through Cape Town, Dar Es Salaam, Kimberley, Pretoria, the Kruger National Park, Beit Bridge, Bulawayo, Victoria Falls, Lusaka and through Tanzania to Dar Es Salaam.
Billed as the most luxurious train in the world, you’d better not lose the opportunity if you’re planning a romantic vacation through the heart of Southern Africa.
#3. Eurostar
While not many will really be happy with the fact that you get to spend plenty of time in the Eurostar under the sea, it sure offers a great mix of comfort and class. Apart from getting you to your chosen destination in a pretty short time, it is a much better option compared to choosing the flight between London and Paris. Eurostar is a high-speed passenger rail service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel.
The London terminal is St Pancras International, with calling points at Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International in Kent. Calling points in France are Calais-Fréthun and Lille-Europe, with the main Paris terminus at Gare du Nord. Trains to Belgium terminate at Midi/Zuid station in Brussels. In addition, there are limited services from London to Disneyland Paris at Marne-la-Vallée - Chessy, and to seasonal destinations in southern France.
The service is operated by eighteen-coach Class 373/1 trains which run at up to 300 kilometres per hour (186 mph) on a network of high-speed lines. The LGV Nord line in France opened before Eurostar services began in 1994, and newer lines enabling faster journeys were added later—HSL 1 in Belgium and High Speed 1 in southern England. The French and Belgian parts of the network are shared with Paris–Brussels Thalys services and other TGV trains. In the United Kingdom the two-stage Channel Tunnel Rail Link project was completed on 14 November 2007 and renamed High Speed 1, when the London terminus of Eurostar transferred from Waterloo International to St Pancras International.
Eurostar was until 2009 operated jointly by the national railway companies of France and Belgium, SNCF and SNCB, and Eurostar (UK) Ltd (EUKL), a subsidiary of London and Continental Railways (LCR), which also owns the high-speed infrastructure and stations on the British side. Eurostar has become the dominant operator in cross-channel intercity passenger travel on the routes that it operates, carrying more passengers than all airlines combined. Other operators have expressed an interest in purchasing EUKL, or starting competing services following deregulation in 2010. On 1 January 2010, Eurostar was incorporated as a single corporate entity called Eurostar International, replacing the joint operation between EUKL, SNCF and SNCB.
#4. Flam Railway
Remember the awesome Norwegian Fjords? Well, here is a train ride through the world’s longest fjord Sognefjord, where on a 20 kilometer trip you’ll get to see an amazing descent from an altitude of almost 3,000 feet into the fjords of Flam. The ride looks both enthralling and hair-raising with its narrow passage way and the unforgettable sights.
A popular tourist attraction in Norway, this is all about exploring unadulterated beauty of nature at a leisurely pace.
#5. Palace on Wheels
Step on the Palace on Wheels and you will find exactly what you have been promised with the name. The train that starts from Delhi in India and ends up in the royal state of Rajasthan, offers complete luxury on tracks, much like the pampering enjoyed by royal kings in the days long gone. Just to roll back time, a steam engine is used to pull the train initially out of Delhi, adding further to the experience. An elephant welcome in Jaipur, lunch at the Lake Palace in Udaipur, a camel safari near Jaisalmer and an afternoon at the Taj Mahal; the Palace on Wheels is the most comfortable way to explore India.
#6. Eastern & Oriental Express
Stretching between the ultra-modern Singapore and Bangkok, and traveling through lush green tropical forests, the Eastern and Oriental Express is modern, stylish and comfortable.
Apart from all the delights it offers in terms of cuisine and hospitality, the train journey presents a perfect window into South-East Asia, its changing topography and the contrast between its urban present and its naturally-endowed past.
#7. Royal Scotsman
If you are getting on board the Royal Scotsman, then you must have really deep pockets – it’s the most expensive train ride on the planet. Just consider the fact that a 4-day trip on the Royal Scotsman costs more than an entire 19-day first-class trip on the Trans-Siberian, and you will get the idea. The observation car accommodates 36 passengers (yes, only 36 passengers allowed) in comfortable armchairs along with cabins specially designed for dining and other purposes.
The train pulls over at night when you need to sleep and while the trip offers a great passage through little known waterfalls, mountains and valleys, it is obviously not for everyone.
#8. Trans-Siberian Railway
There is hardly any doubt that a 6000 mile ride across the vastness of Russia that carries you over a distance of one-third the planet is the grand daddy of them all. The Trans-Siberian train ride is a journey that has already achieved a mythical status for the vastness it encompasses and the magnitude of brilliance that it has in store.
From Vladivostok across Siberia to Moscow and then to St. Petersburg, the 19-day ride offers more than you could ever find on any other train. Carriages once used by the Politburo are fitted with two bedrooms, a bathroom and a sitting/dining-room, complete with private chef. Carrying you in comfort across seven time zones, this is the ultimate experience on tracks.
It is a unique feeling to carry home when your whole journey becomes your destination as there is never a dull moment on your trip. Instead of waiting for fun and good times to start rolling as you sit in your airline seat, the great train journeys turn every moment into a memory you can cherish for a lifetime.
#9. Pride of Africa
The Pride of Africa is a train journey that no nature lover should ever miss if they wish to explore the beauty, majesty and the hidden grandeur of the spectacular Dark Continent at a leisurely pace. Apart from the impeccable comfort it has to offer, the once in a year trip planned on the ‘Pride of Africa’ will take you on a 14-day epic expedition through Cape Town, Dar Es Salaam, Kimberley, Pretoria, the Kruger National Park, Beit Bridge, Bulawayo, Victoria Falls, Lusaka and through Tanzania to Dar Es Salaam.
#10. The Royal Scotsman
Mile for mile, perhaps the most expensive train journey on the planet. Relaunched in 1985, the Royal Scotsman (above) is also possibly the most exclusive, with just 36 passengers in private mahogany Edwardian state cabins. The observation car accommodates all 36 passengers in comfortable armchairs and sofas, and the two dining-cars have the atmosphere of a gentleman's club. When you're ready for sleep, the train pulls over for the night. The four-night classic tour of the Highlands and Lowlands follows little-used lines past lochs, glens, waterfalls, mountain peaks and vast forests. Visits en route include a castle, a smokehouse, a distillery and a trip to Skye.
The four-day tour on the Royal Scotsman costs from £2,590 for a state cabin with private shower, table d'hote meals, all drinks and visits.
#11. Copper Canyon Railway, Mexico
No soft landings here. No gourmet food, no pampering butlers and no private bathrooms - you'll even need to bring your own loo paper. Take your own hooch, too, and mix with the locals as you trundle through stupendous scenery. Find a seat on the right side and relax as the train stops and starts as if at whim, pootling from Los Mochis on the Pacific coast across the Sierra Madre and the Sonora Desert to Chihuahua. The package listed below is broken up with overnight stays in Divisadero and Creel, the main town of the Sierra, before the final leg up through the Tarahumara Mountains to Chihuahua.Journey Latin America offers a four-day Copper Canyon package from £383 including "tourist-class" accommodation, the railway journey, transfers and some meals. International and domestic flights (Mexico City to Los Mochis and Chihuahua back to Mexico City) can also be booked through Journey Latin America.
#12. Great South Pacific Express, Australia
The luxury train that zips along the eastern seaboard between Sydney and Cairns was launched in 1999. The trip is divided into two sections with an overnight stay in Brisbane. The more memorable leg is the lush Brisbane-Cairns one, which includes a helicopter trip to the Barrier Reef, where you'll spend the day snorkelling from a pontoon. Although the food is superb and the staff friendly and fun, don't expect unbroken sleep on board - the train rocks and rolls because the carriages are considerably broader than the old track. The open-air observation deck provides the best views. The journey ends beyond Cairns, at the delightfully old-fashioned tropical railway station of Kuranda, where you'll take the SkyRail cable car through the densely forested hills before picking up your luggage in Cairns below.
Bridge the World features the two-night Brisbane-Cairns trip from £1,170, including the excursions mentioned above and all meals but excluding international flights (London-Brisbane-Cairns returns from £854).
#13. The Shinkansen, Japan
An altogether different encounter. Compared to our other great railway journeys, the Shinkansen is an unashamedly modern experience. The silver Bullet Train , as it's better known, is closer to a rocket than a train. Having had its nose put out of joint by losing its title as fastest train in the world to France's TGV, the Bullet Train has restaked its claim with its new Nozomi model, which devours the 325 miles between Tokyo and Kyoto in just two hours and 10 minutes. Although you could continue all the way to Hiroshima and the southernmost island of Kyushu, the trip between the modern and ancient capitals will probably be enough. The adrenaline rush is the train itself, not the bland, featureless countryside.
A one-way Tokyo-Kyoto Bullet Train trip with reserved seat costs about £84 (double for returns). Tickets are available from all stations. A better deal is probably the one-week Japan rail pass at about £178 (which can also be used to get into town from Narita airport). Further information (though not sales) from the Japan National Tourist Organisation.
#14. Blue Train, South Africa
The new Blue Train, launched in 1998, eclipses all other great railways when it comes to indulgence. The train carries just 84 passengers, mollycoddled by 27 staff. Each compartment has its own en-suite bathroom, telephone, television and individually controlled air-conditioning, and professionally trained butlers are on call 24 hours a day. You could be seduced into thinking you're not moving at all if it weren't for the gentle rocking and the mouth-watering scenery speeding past your window (there's even a special observation deck at the rear of the train with wraparound windows for a better view). The classic route is Pretoria-Cape Town - watch the moon rise over the Karoo and wake up in the winelands before pulling in to Cape Town beneath the drama of Table Mountain.
African Pride features the Blue Train as an add-on to any of its tailor-made South African itineraries. The Pretoria-Cape Town two-day trip costs from £480 in a deluxe compartment, including meals and drinks. A typical 10-night African Pride package with return flight, car hire, luxury b & b accommodation in the Westcliffe (Johannesburg, one night) and Mount Nelson (Cape Town, seven nights), plus the Blue Train costs from £2,070.
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