Riding the rails: classic train journeys of the world

Mar 20, 2012 4:22:57 AM

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Hand the porter your luggage, climb aboard and relive the golden days of railroading on these spectacular journeys.

Copper Canyon Railway, Mexico

The Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacifico (Copper Canyon Railway) features 36 bridges and 87 tunnels along its 655km length. Connecting the mountainous arid interior of northern Mexico with the Pacific coast, the railway line passes through landscapes that include sheer canyon walls, waterfalls and high desert plains. Two trains operate on this route between Los Mochis and Chihuahua: the primera express (first class) has a restaurant, bar and reclining seats and makes fewer stops than the clase economica (economy class). Canyon Travel operates a private rail car with an open deck area ‘to absorb the canyon’s outdoor atmosphere’. Get inspired atwww.canyontravel.com.

Ghan, Australia

The saga that is the Ghan started in 1877 when the original railway line from Adelaide to Alice Springs was laid. This initial century-old stretch of line ran straight through a flood plain, resulting in frequent outback strandings after rain. In 1980 a new service on a different line made the run – replacing the old Ghan, which made its last journey in ’82. The great Ghan cuts through Australia’s remote Red Centre, its tropical north and gentle south. It now runs twice weekly from Adelaide to Alice Springs to Darwin; the trip takes two nights in either direction. To book visit www.gsr.com.au

Rocky Mountaineer, Canada

This two-day tour through the magnificent Canadian Rockies is done in daylight, so you can see every dazzling canyon, each inspiring river, and all its verdant valleys and glittering glacial lakes. As you depart from coastal Vancouver, press your face up to the glass to view the spectacular mountains of British Columbia. Then the essence of the Rockies takes shape out the window as you roll through Alberta, enjoying the natural beauty of Jasper or Banff and the big city splendour of Calgary. Get the train departure schedule and more at www.rockymountaineer.com.

El Nariz del Diablo, Ecuador

Heading south from Riobamba, the death-defying section of track known as El Nariz del Diablo (Devil’s Nose) runs from Alausí to Sibambe. Construction began in 1908; at Sibambe a series of switchbacks were carved into the steep Andean rock to allow the train to ascend nearly 1000m to Alausí, which sits at 2607m. Locals recommend buying tickets the night before to avoid long queues during the day; the ride lasts four to five hours; dress in layers as the weather is unpredictable.

Venice Simplon-Orient Express, Italy

Glamour pusses, this train trip is guaranteed to keep you purring all the way from Venice through to London. Luxury abounds, from the sumptuously fitted dining car (with French silverware, linen-dressed tables and crystal glassware) to the piano-bar car – you’ll need to pack your gowns and tuxedos. Ladies, Manolo Blahnik heels are perfect for teetering around Europe’s most romantic cities: Vienna, Paris, Prague and Istanbul – all of which the Orient graces with its presence. Your fare includes table d’hôte meals; divine morsels from the à la carte menu and 24-hour compartment service are extra; salivate at www.orient-express.com.

Cuzco to Puno, Peru

This 10-hour ride travels between the capital Cuzco and Puno on the banks of Lake Titicaca. The high altitude around Lake Titicaca makes for exceptionally clear air, and the luminescent quality of the sunlight suffuses the highland Altiplano and sparkles on the deep waters of the lake. At the other end of the journey, Cuzco is a unique combination of colonial and religious splendour built on the hefty stone foundations of the Incas. Your train ticket includes lunch and afternoon tea. For information visit www.perurail.com.

Trans-Siberian, Russia to China

Image by Boccaccio1

The classic Trans-Siberian service runs from Moscow’s Yaroslavl Station across a third of the globe to the crumbling charm of Vladivostock. It memorably skirts Lake Baikal, which appears seemingly out of nowhere in the middle of the Siberian taiga. Veering off the main line, the Trans-Mongolian continues past Russian gingerbread houses and stands of forest before giving way to the endless steppe and sky of Mongolia. The train trundles ever onward to Beijing, passing the spectacular Great Wall. Whether you take one week or 10, this is an epic trip. The Trans-Mongolian departs Moscow every Tuesday.

Beijing-Shanghai high-speed train, China

Just recently starting operation, this white-and-blue, sleek-nosed train will take you from Beijing to Shanghai at 300 kilometres per hour (186mph) in 4 hours 48 minutes. Built to improve the transportation system in China, for visitors the train becomes a convenient way to travel between the country’s two main cities, as well as fabulous means to see the countryside. When making a booking, you will notice that you can take either a D type or G type train to experience the CRH high-speed train service. The G train has an average speed of 300km/hr while the D train has an average speed of 250km per hour. To schedule a ride on this modern train, head to www.12306.cn (website in Chinese only).

Palace on Wheels, India

To travel maharaja-style, try the RTDC Palace on Wheels operates weekly tours of Rajasthan, departing from Delhi every Wednesday (September to April). The itinerary covers Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Ranthambhore National Park, Chittorgarh (Chittor), Udaipur, Keoladeo Ghana National Park and Agra. It’s a mammoth stretch in seven days, but most of the travelling is done at night. This train once used the maharajas’ original carriages, but these became so ancient that new carriages were refurbished to look like the originals. The train has two dining cars and a bar, and each coach, containing four doubles with private bathroom, is attended by a splendidly costumed captain and attendant.

Coast Starlight, USA

Traversing America’s west coast, the Starlight pulls in to some of the States’ great cities: Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles. The trip takes a mere 35 hours to negotiate three states: Washington, Oregon and California. Modern conveniences make the hours pass even more quickly, including various comfort levels of accommodation, a dining car and lounge with on-board entertainment. But the window will likely provide the most exhilarating entertainment – the train passes humbling mountains and vast oceanscapes. The trip lasts around 35 hours; various accommodation options are available. Check www.amtrak.com for details.

Article updated in response to suggestions and rail closures: July 2011

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Comments

24 September 2010 1:07AM jody_buffy Report this comment
I rode the rails from St. Petersburg, through Central Asia, and terminated in Beijing. I never experienced such a diversity of cultures in one rail journey. Waking up one morning as the train crossed the snowy steppes near the Heavenly Mountains and seeing my first bactrian camels was a magical moment for me.
23 November 2010 2:53PM youdalep Report this comment
The Puno/Cusco trip is anything but a bone shaker. The train is brilliant, and one of the highlights of the trip to that part of the world. Meals are silver service, seating is on lounge chairs (which you can pick up and move around - they are not anchored to the floor), and the crew bend over backwards to help you. The rear car is a partially open observation car and bar so that you can take part in the goings on around you. It is not a fast train, but having said that, it only takes about an hour or so longer than the coach. You get the opportunity to interact with the villages you pass along the way, and you also get the opportunity to take some good photographs because the train is not whizzing past the landscape. I would highly recommend the trip as a great way to travel between Cusco and Puno (or vv)
23 November 2010 3:29PM travellingaunt Report this comment
A great top ten list. How about creating a similar one: top ten steam train trips? Harder to find, I guess, but (nearly) always worth it!
23 November 2010 9:35PM ausol Report this comment
Old Patagonia Express The Andes are BOTH Argentinean and Chilean, since Esquel is in the Argentine side of the Andes
23 November 2010 10:31PM schrodi Report this comment
We recently travelled on the other Trans-Siberian line from Vladivostok to Moscow... the BAM. We came across no foreign tourists until we got to Lake Baikal. It was a haunting experience to learn about the Gulags and the hardship of Siberia from locals we met. The railway towns were bleak but the scenery was magnificent and the people friendly.
23 November 2010 11:10PM sandy_ct Report this comment
I'm afraid I recently read that the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe service is about to be terminated. There's a "Save the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe" Facebook page - if you want to find out more.
24 November 2010 12:09AM garrocheirinha Report this comment
Hi
I don't know if the Negus Train from Djibouti to Addis Abeba is still making the trip, but that one deserves a reference in the list. I made the trip some years ago, and it was a real adventure among smugglers, horse riding bandits shooting to the train and army guys defending it. Be careful with policemen, cause they ask for your money. If you declare you will be robbed, if you don't declare they search for it. Up to you to find a solution. Good luck.
24 November 2010 1:45AM wandering_tubador Report this comment
While the train from Seattle to LA touches my heart, I have to note that it is not uncommon for this line to run fabulously late. Aside from a couple of urban corridors, Amtrak in the Western US is a trip to be made purely for the sake of journeying without any eye to arrival. Granted, it's been a couple of years, but when I lived along its lines, it was not unusual for the Coast Starlight to run 18-36 hours late.
And what about any of the night trains to major cities in SE Asia: watching dawn break over the fantastically dense diversity of Mumbai, Delhi, Bangkok, or Hanoi strikes me as the cultural equivalent of a quiet dawn in an empty Yosemite Valley.
24 November 2010 2:00AM zerega Report this comment
I'd include trips on the Osman/German built Baghdad- and Hejdaz-Railway Systems (of Lawrence of Arabia Fame).
From Istanbul you can reach Aleppo and Damascus in Syria, and - completed after WW II - Tabriz and Tehran in Iran including a steamer trip across Van lake. In Winter this includes surreal snowscapes with bizarre and huge ice sculptures along rivers through the canyons of Anatolia. Baghdad has been suspended for some 20 years, though there has been a train into Northern Iraq reinstated recently with probably more to come.
The Hedjaz System ran between Damscus, Haifa and Medina, though there is only one 'International Train' between Damscus and Amman today, which is a cargo train carrying a handful of passengers. Not much to see in terms of scenery, but a unique chance to ride a German 1907 1st class Railway car still in its original fittings along a string of fin de siecle depots. There are occasional fan trips with steam engines in both countries.
24 November 2010 3:41AM mad_paddler Report this comment
A little research might help. The Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe has been down since mudslides caused by floods took out a section of the track. I was in Widerness last year when they decided that since the railway was not turning a profit before the slide they were not going to fix the line so it might be gone forever. In any rate it has not run for a long time.
24 November 2010 3:42AM mad_paddler Report this comment
I think the slide on the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe was in 2006.
24 November 2010 2:57PM sydney83 Report this comment
Enjoyed the list, have did sections of a few of these, trains are the ish! But how can you make a traine list without at least one Indian railways? i did 30 plus hours with a "non reserved ticket" you knoe what that means? i slept next to the 3rd class bathrooms on the sleel grate. with the peaple, that was a train trip!
24 November 2010 10:43PM finndivine Report this comment
Just did the Trans-Mongolian trip last summer, starting from my home town in Finland ending up in Beijing. With few stops. Great and highly recommendable trip! Thanks for the list, Old Patagonia Express would be great to do some day.
I made some photo slideshow -type videos (with some real video material too) of my last summer trip. They can be viewed in my travel blog at http://mondomemento.blogspot.com/2010/11/trans-siberian-and-trans-mongolian.html I guess I'll post other stories about the trip later in the same blog.
25 November 2010 12:26AM travelingabby Report this comment
Another great one that is missing from the list is the 2-day Tazara train from Lusaka, Zambia to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (or the opposite direction). There are several stops from which you can make your way into Malawi as well. It was the epitome of the African travel experience - nothing more than a hard bench with a blanket for a bed, abrupt stops during the night that made sleeping on the top bunk slightly dangerous, women and children selling things to you through your window at every stop, and a few hours through a game park in Tanzania during which buffalo, giraffes, zebra, impala, and many more animals are easy to spot. An amazing journey that I would recommend to anyone. (Especially students who get a 50% discount!)
17 February 2011 11:13AM lowalker147 Report this comment
You're forgetting the unforgettable rails of India!
17 February 2011 11:09PM anjci Report this comment
Many thanks; I think this is a wonderful selection! I missed the Copper Canyon in Mexico last year but will make it to Rocky Mountaineer in Canada this October. And hopefully will find the time to take the Trans-Sib in 2012.
For the record, I FULLY agree with lowalker147 that India should have been there as well. Perhaps it is simply beyond any competition : )
I also think that there could have been more Europe in the list. Some Norwegian journeys - such as the Oslo-Bergen line with its little appendix of Flåm - are truly spectacular. And, albeit less glamorous and not as well known, some Balkan rail journeys are absolutely worth taking - such as the trip I did last year from Belgrade (Serbia) to the coastal town of Bar (Montenegro): http://www.anjci.com/2010/09/balkan-odyssey-2010-part-i-belgrade-to.html. Recommended!
20 February 2011 5:38AM rennohokwerda Report this comment
I don't think that non-railing countries like Australia and the USA can have such Classic Train Trips, as in either country, train travelling is 'lower class' and simply not done. Classic Train Trips can be found however in Europe, Asia and Latin America, in my opinion. Best known are the Trondheim-Bodø line (Norway), Leeuwarden-Stavoren (Holland), the Cinqueterre railroute (Italy), Bergen-Oslo (Norway) and all southern Swiss routes.
6 March 2011 11:27PM leahmaria Report this comment
rennohokwerda - I'm sorry, but as an Australian, I can verify that we do not view train travel as "lower class". In fact, train travel is, for the most part, so expensive in Australia (compared to such cheap flights) that it's normally only the rich who do them, or the elderly (who get very, very large discounts on many public trains around the country). The only reason it is "not done" is because most people can't afford it!!
This is especially so for trains such as the Ghan or the Indian Pacific. Both these trains are primarily for the trip itself, rather as a means to get to a destination. If you simply wanted to get from Adelaide to Perth, you'd pay $180 for a flight and get there in 3 hours rather than the $458 for a day/nighter seat on the Indian Pacific or $1076 for a sleeper cabin and take two days!
25 April 2011 9:44AM trav3322 Report this comment
My favorite long haul train trip was going from Sydney to Perth in Australia. My second favorite was going through the Rockies in Canada. I saved up for a one way sleeper class ticket and then flew back to where I started on a one way discounted air ticket. Too expensive for me otherwise, but worth it for the experience.
15 June 2011 8:27PM deepalipareek Report this comment
Palace on wheels in Rajasthan, India is missing in the list. It has also been voted as one of the top ten luxury train journeys in the world.
15 June 2011 9:41PM tomweir Report this comment
It was touched on in a previous comment, but I am always amazed that the trans Asia express, Istanbul to Tehran is never mentioned on these lists. 2 trains, a 5 hr middle of the night ferry crossing, singing, drinking and dancing in the dining car while in Turkey and then a complete change as the train crosses the border into Iran. An amazing experience even if only for the characters, story's and hospitality you encounter on the trip.
15 June 2011 11:56PM erik47 Report this comment
1973 -- The train leaves Bariloche at night. We have imaginatively-labeled “first class” seats. The ancient rail car is full of Argentine soldiers and crying kids—commotion, noise, and discomfort. A steward wears a “white” coat so filthy it must serve multiple railroad purposes. He hurries down the aisle at all hours offering bebidas! with the enthusiasm of a toll booth operator. He is days unshaven, his hands dirty, and he’s followed by a pudgy fellow selling bad sandwiches. Late into the cold night locals drink mate, strong tea taken through silver tubes, comfort on this long, rough trip. I drift into exhausted sleep at about 4 a.m., just before the conductor calls to punch tickets!
We return to the dining car for an 8:30 dinner. The train has been stopped a long while, rumors of breakdown, and no sign of civilization out in the dark exterior. It seems as cold inside.
26 July 2011 3:53PM joolz2 Report this comment
The train journey to Lhasa in Tibet is worth a mention. I believe it's the highest railway in the world and if nothing else, an amazing feat of engineering.
27 July 2011 4:10PM anjci Report this comment
A fabulous list. Got to start getting busy! The first hit will be Canada this October, though I am choosing an infinitely cheaper national rail route from Vancouver to Jasper over the touristy Rocky Mountaineer.
Speaking of favourites - railways are just the best way to travel, aren't they? And we in Europe have been blessed with some great routes. More often than not, I go to Norway for some railway fun - Oslo to Bergen, Rauma, Dovre to Trondheim and Trondheim to Bodø are all worth a mention.
My favourite rail journey in Europe though is, counter-intuitively, the one connecting the Serbian capital with the Adriatic coast: Belgrade (Serbia) to Bar (Montenegro). It is fun as much as it is scenic. Some highlights are here: http://www.anjci.com/2010/09/balkan-odyssey-2010-part-i-belgrade-to.html.
Many thanks again!
2 August 2011 2:58PM esramyssik Report this comment
Who have you got writing these things? A 15-year-old college intern? I don't know about the other destinations, but this writer has clearly been nowhere near Ecuador. For a start, it's "La" Nariz del Diablo. And the trip is anything but "death-defying", unless you're talking about avoiding a possible train crash because of the poor state of the tracks. Otherwise I've been on commuter trains in Surrey with more excitement. There are no long queues for buying tickets in the day because the journey starts at 6am and the ticket office is closed. The ride does not last several hours. It lasts about 40 minutes. If you leave from Riobamba, it lasts several hours, but trains rarely leave from Riobamba. Instead passengers are herded on to old rickety buses to get to the train, or rather some modern Disny buggy tram. A big disappointment. Save your money and do something more interesting. If the writers are even vaguely accurate about the other journeys, then do one of them.
16 August 2011 11:40AM suethorntree Report this comment
esramyssik is right: the Nariz del Diablo train trip has been significantly altered - the passenger train now leaves from Alausi I believe, not Riobamba - it has been shortened but leaves several more often, is more expensive, and is often booked out in advance by tour groups. Its almost impossible (at least as of Feb 2011) to get any accurate information. The bus ride is scenic enough to give the train a pass.
16 August 2011 11:45AM weelle Report this comment
The Palace on Wheels was a great train trip, and a little more classy than our usual travel standards. The 2 guys on our carriage were great, very friendly, helpful and great cooks (breakfast). Meals in the dining cars were great and the salon bar carriage gave opportunity to meet up with others. One disappointment was most of the train travel was at night meaning didn't get to enjoy the countryside. Days were full with a visit wach day to a new city,and while trips were done in groups(a pet hate normally), they were realtively small groups and there was some time to get away by ourselves and do our own thing!
TransSiberia rail trip is definitely in our plans.Surprised there is no mention of trains in Africa which I am lead to believe are comfortable and a great way to travel.
16 August 2011 11:49AM pdpjones Report this comment
That train in India is expensive - going second class on long distance Indian trains is an experience in itself, especially ones like the train from the southern tip of India right up to Kashmir or the one I did last year from the NE corner of Assam to Delhi. It was a 3 day trip and arrived 16 hours late. There is also the amazing "Toy Train" up to Darjeeling from Siliguri Junction but more often than not it's out of service or only running part of the way.
16 August 2011 12:15PM kmtf Report this comment
In 1998 we travelled along the Silk Route joining the train at Xian, leaving it in St Petersburg. We stopped for two or three days at Urumqi, Almaty, Tashkent, took a bus to Samarkand then Bukhara, flew back to Tashkent took another train to Moscow, four nights then to St Petersburg. Usually we were the only two Westerners on the train. As someone earlier said, the diversity of race was amazing, nowhere more so than in Urumqi. People were fascinated by the two 'round eyes' in their midst and shared stories, food, photos with us. An amazing journey achieved with us having only a few phrases from a handful of languages and not many people we met speaking English.
16 August 2011 12:16PM interactbiz07 Report this comment
For those that care, Rocky Mountaineer locked out its workers in June 2011 and, two months later, is using replacement workers. The locked out workers had gone a number of years without increases but the company was seeking important concessions from them. Given the extravagant prices charged by RM, its treatment of staff is surprising and the company is refusing to bargain with its locked out employees.
The quality of on-board staff is critical to a good experience for travellers so some may choose an alternative vacation experience rather than relying on inexperienced replacement workers, or as the workers refer to them, the scabs.
16 August 2011 12:25PM nadinega Report this comment
Why is everybody praising the Beijing-Shanghai G train, I really don't understand it. There's a much nicer landscape from Wuhan-Guangzhou, trains run every 15min or so and at the same speed. I took it often (when it still run at 350km/h) and the landscape is one of the most beautiful you can find. Also much more interesting how people in central China live than those in the coastal regions... Try it, you won't regret it!
16 August 2011 12:56PM lekhaku Report this comment
I traveled from Christchurch New Zealand to Greymouth by train in April 2011. It is a splendid journey by train. In one day you can see the changing landscape of south island from east cost to west coast. I especially liked when the train stopped at the Arthurs passes station where you can see snow Crest Mountains and fine weather. The train has carriages for photogrphers where you can capture the beautiful landscap in your lens.
16 August 2011 12:56PM alisterb Report this comment
The train on the email looks like the Kingston Flyer (in New Zealand). Is it? In any case - this train has not run for a number of years - but has now been sold and will hopefully be back up and running by the NZ summer.
While it is only a short trip (compared to the above epic journeys) it has been a unique part of the New Zealand rail journey scene.
16 August 2011 1:06PM alisterb Report this comment
Okay.. Not the Kingston Flyer (tender looks wrong). Countryside looks like NZ backcounty though..
16 August 2011 6:19PM irondoor Report this comment
Lonely Planet is moribund and is dying a slow death. It has become irrelevant. Yet another list. The internet can give you current info at the flick of a switch. No need for LP anymore. Why carry around a brick-sized volume that leads all the lemmings to the same hotels and activities? My definition of gauche is carrying it around in public. This list is merely a desperate attempt to stay relevant. LP...RIP
16 August 2011 8:55PM chrissynina Report this comment
If anyone is thinking of making a train journey anywhere in the world check out seat61.com it is really handy for short journeys or long cross continent ones, I used the itinerary to get from London to Delhi and it worked a treat!
16 August 2011 8:58PM chrissynina Report this comment
One more great journey to add to the list is the TransAlpine in NZ from Christchurch to Picton which connects flawlessly with the ferry to take you over to Wellington in the north island - some of the best scenery I have seen in my life, way better than flying and better for your carbon foot print too.
16 August 2011 9:15PM kmtf Report this comment
Another NZ trip - shortish but spectacular. Start in a city - Dunedin and end up in the tussocks and rocks at Middlemarch - The Taieri Gorge Train Trip - lovely. http://www.taieri.co.nz/
16 August 2011 9:31PM greyvina Report this comment
No mention of the Premier Classe train from Jo'burg to Cape Town. It's comfortable but not Blue Train or Rovos standard! Fare in 2009 was about £130 in November 2009, fully catered. Leave Jo'burg late afternoon, wake up in the Karoo, then emerge into the Winelands before reaching Cape Town - amazing. And the perfect way to start a holiday in South Africa after an overnight flight from UK.
16 August 2011 9:51PM biscuit_tin Report this comment
Riding the rails is an interesting experience but what about trains as an alternative to flying to destinations? I'm travelling by train (mostly) from London to Sydney at the end of August 2011 & will be blogging the journey at: http://the-9-35-train-from-london-to-sydney.blogspot.com/
Any ideas & suggestions?
16 August 2011 9:53PM kodix Report this comment
I just completed the other day the Beijing to Shanghai trip on the G train and I must agree that it is not an experience that blows your mind as much as one expects. The high speed means that you hardly see any views and the landscape for hundreds of kilometres is not worth the effort. The trip is exciting for anyone who has yet to experience the european high speed trains which are equally impressive and more comfortable.
16 August 2011 10:01PM gibba Report this comment
I took a 30 hour sleeper from Xi'an to Guilin, saw lots of farms, met people sharing my sleeper room and hopped off at stations and bought food from local vendors. I would do this again. Seeing the scenery change from mountains to fields and back to mountains was great.
16 August 2011 11:21PM ingic Report this comment
And Mauritania??? That's epic train journey...
16 August 2011 11:43PM mdorff Report this comment
"This 10-hour ride travels between the capital Cuzco and Puno on the banks of Lake Titicaca." Cuzco is very cool to visit, but it is not the capital.
17 August 2011 12:15AM tadejstein Report this comment
Orient express form London to Venice?! LOL
Simplon Orient express is/was from Paris to Istanbul, via Venice, Ljubljana, Belgrade...
Original Orient express is/was from Paris to Istanbul, via Munich, Budapest, Vienna and Bucharest. Later Orient express began in London.
This line now is just a fake Orient express...
17 August 2011 12:28AM dlawrock Report this comment
Do "toy" trains count?
We descended from Shimla to the plains in India riding the Shimla mountain railway in March. Shimla'a a great place, and the train makes a fantastic way to start the journey back to Delhi, with glorious views for a train trip. Raj (and Indian!) engineering at its best!
17 August 2011 4:11AM andyworldtravels Report this comment
After four excellent stops, in Hong Kong, Singapore, Cairo and Istanbul, I touched down at San Marco Airport in Venice to begin the second phase of my 18-Day Around the World Trip! From here, I took the train via Zurich, Bruges/Brussels, London and a final stop in Paris.
This was a different trip style, with 96 hours from first stop to last, less time at each destination, just flying visits along the way. But what a way travel! Swiss Rail: Brilliant, scenic, on-time and efficient. Belgian train system (Thalys) exceptional comfort and service (wireless too!), Channel Tunnel (Brussels-London and London-Paris) Very comfortable, very much on time, though a little more like an airport than all the other train stops. Brilliant! Can't wait to do it again. Read and see all about my trip in my travel photo book for iPad: Around The World In 18 Days, now available on the App Store. Please check it out at http://www.aroundtheworldbook.com
17 August 2011 7:11AM swiss1962 Report this comment
I love traveling by train. I haven't been on any in this list, but my favorite train ride, which I have been on several times, is the Glacier Express in Switzerland. It runs from Zermatt to either Davos or St. Moritz.
I actually have not taken the entire trip. The portion I have been on several times is between Interlaaken and Zermatt. My first trip to Europe was in 1986 when I went to visit on of my sisters, who was studying in Bescancon, France, near the Swiss border. I met her in Geneva, and we made our way to Zermatt, via that portion of the Glacier Express from Interlaaken to Zermatt. I immediately fell in love with that route, and, as mentioned, have been on it several times.
17 August 2011 7:14AM oldsalt43 Report this comment
The comment of wandering_tubador, above, are still germane. My understanding is that Union Pacific doesn't care about the subidies available from the Federal RR Admin is they give passenger trains the right of way. Result: AMTRAK delays.
Apparently not so for the BNSF, over whose tracks the Empire Builder runs. It's also a great ride, thru Glacier Nat'l Park and close to the Canadian border to St. Paul and Chicago. Generally on time. Lots of wildlife, scenery, missile silos, ghost towns to see.
17 August 2011 7:19AM canaclay Report this comment
No mention made of train from Dakar to Bamako! I've done that route twice; once on a newer train (Senegal's) and the second time on the Malian train. Quite a difference in the quality of travel between them. BUT, those trips were years ago, and I suspect there have been some changes. Would love to hear from anyone who has done them more recently. They were an adventure, at any rate.
17 August 2011 8:24AM aharonfu Report this comment
I´ve had been into 4 out of the 10 trains mention above. And by far the Copper Canyon Railway also known as “El Chepe” is the best one.
Excellent service, delicious food and awesome natural landscapes. I really recommend you this one. Although the other options are not a bad choice, I just was in love with this trip.
Leave you the link so you can get in love also: https://www.facebook.com/ChepeOficial ww.chepe.com.mx
18 August 2011 6:26AM lweustenenk Report this comment
Looks great! But what about THE highest railway to Tibet?!
19 August 2011 1:55PM 30somethingtraveler Report this comment
We loved the Trans-Siberian Railway (we went from China to Russia)in 7-days, stopping in Mongolia for two nights, and only wish we had added a stop at Lake Baikal. Photos and details of our experience are here - http://tinyurl.com/ygt9dub.
We are taking the Coast Starlight from Seattle to Oakland in two weeks. Any advice?
20 August 2011 9:36PM paulh_s Report this comment
Years ago in 1979 I remember travelling on the Khyber Mail from Peshawar up the Khyber Pass to Landi Kotal. I presume this once a week steam train no longer runs given the huge security problems in the area. The train had 2 engines front and back and we travelled with 2 armed guards in our carriage but at some point the train stopped and my wife & I were asked if we would like to travel in the engine cab. I think this was one of my most memorable journeys. We encountered a cow on the line at one point and had to trail behind it until it eventually left the track, the engine driver explained that had he hit it, tribesman would have shot at the train. All along the route of spectacular rugged scenery where the line twists back on itself constantly, tribesmen with rifles could be seen squatting at the side of the track. At Landi Kotal we crossed on foot into Afghanistan.
23 August 2011 3:58AM johnpascoe Report this comment
What about the trip across the Tibetan Plateau to Lhasa? Or, for something smaller, the day trip across the South Island of New Zealand from Christchurch to Greymouth?
http://johnpascoe.wordpress.com/
23 August 2011 3:33PM arunasworld Report this comment
The longest way I have travelled by (night) train is from Warsaw (Poland) to Bratislava (Slovakia). It is over 535 km or 333 miles. I was sitting in a crowded acompartment with the Polish, and it was an interesting experience. Till now I remember perfectly that beautiful morning in the Carpathians...
24 August 2011 7:43AM travel_everywhere Report this comment
I've done 3 of the Top 10 trips and I must admit they were among the very best of my personal train trips. Took the Trans-Siberian from Irkutsk to Nakhodka - excellent service with hot tea as much as you like. Did the Copper Canyon Railway in northern Mexico - definitely worth it. Did "La Nariz del Diablo" in Ecuador as part of a 9 hour journey from Guayaquil to Riobamba in 1996. Sat on top of the roof for most of the trip until it got too cold and dark before reaching Riobamba. Did a great journey from Cologne, Germany to Istanbul (51 hours but "only" 46 hours on the return journey). I also liked train journeys in India (Jaisalmer to Amritsar via Delhi, 24 hours) and in Egypt along the Nile (Cairo to Aswan, 20 hours). The Shatabdi Express in India should get an award for best service on non-overnight trains.
1 September 2011 8:41AM momay Report this comment
to anjci on the 27th July.
I would like to know the name of the other train service from Vancouver to Jasper that is cheaper than the Rocky Mountaineer as my sister will be here from Scotland next year and we would love to do that trip.
9 October 2011 4:35AM edge Report this comment
to momay
The cheaper train alternative that goes from Vancouver to Jasper is VIA rail. Visit their website www.viarail.ca for details. VIA goes across the country. From Jasper you can journey down the Icefields Parkway to Lake Louise, Banff and that area. I took the train from Jasper to Vancouver in October 2010 and it was great. First time I ever took the train in Canada (I'm Canadian) and it is a great way to travel. Much more humane than the bus and price wise, comparable to flying if you factor the time into it. If its a clear day you can see Mt. Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, from the train.
16 October 2011 1:53AM mitotoro Report this comment
Great list, I miss Shinkansen in Japan on the list though