The Sunset Limited
Traveling between Los Angeles and New Orleans (through the
southern states and along the border of Mexico), the 46-hour Sunset
Limited trip is truly one of the greatest ways to see the sprawling
deserts of the US. And I can say from personal experience, it was
gorgeous.
El Tren Crucero
The four-day three-night adventure takes you from Guayaquil to
Quito (or vice versa) through some of the most spectacular parts of the
Ecuadorian Andes.
The Blue Train
The 27-hour journey from Pretoria to Cape Town routes through
Johannesburg, and giving you the opportunity to witness some of the
wildest and most diverse landscapes in the South African subcontinent.
The West Highland Line
One of the most popular and scenic train trips in Europe (and
possibly the world), the West Highland Line links the major ports in
Scotland to Glasgow, and takes just over 5 hours from one end to the
other.
The Eastern & Orient Express
Almost a "choose your own adventure" experience, the Eastern
& Orient Express travels between Singapore and Bangkok, stopping
everywhere in-between. The trip can take anywhere from 2 days to 7,
depending on what you want to do and see along the way.
The TranzAlpine
Crossing between Christchurch and Greymouth in New Zealand, the
legendary train trip takes about 4.5 hours from start to finish, during
which you'll get acquainted with the landscape that New Zealand is
renowned for (by passing places like the Canterbury Plains, the
Waimakariri River, and the Southern Alps).
The Al Andalus Express
Since 1930, The Al Andalus Express has been a popular traveling
and sightseeing circuit in the southern "Andalusia" region of Spain.
Starting in Seville, the train passes through Cádiz, Jerez, Ronda,
Granada, Linares-Baeza, Ubeda, and Cordoba before returning to Seville, 6
days from when you set out.
The Danube Express
Perfect for cruising Central Europe, the Danube Express always
leaves from Budapest, but can end up anywhere from Krakow to Sighisoara
in Transylvania, depending on which train you catch.
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
Crowned "Best North American Train Trip" by National Geographic
Traveller, the Durango & Silverton Railroad has traveled the 45.5
beautiful Coloradoan miles between the municipality of Durango and the
town of Silverton since 1881.
The Royal Canadian Pacific
A seasonal luxury adventure train, The Royal Canadian Pacific
provides unparalleled views of the Canadian Rockies outside your train
car, from June to September of every year.
The Coast Starlight
What better way to travel between Seattle and Los Angeles than
following the actual coast of the Western United States? The journey
takes about 35 hours, and makes 29 stops as it passes from California,
through Oregon, to Washington.
Maharajas' Express
The Maharajas' Express is all about seeing India in the absolute
height of opulent luxury. No, seriously, it has received the titles of
"World's Leading Luxury Train" and "World's Most Expensive Luxury Train
in Asia" several years in a row. Its travel circuits take passengers to
Mumbai, Delhi, and everywhere in-between.
The Grand Canyon Railway
Shuttling passengers from Williams, Arizona to the South Rim of
Grand Canyon National Park since about 1898, The Grand Canyon Railway
trip only takes about an hour and a half in either direction, but I
can't imagine a better build up to the truly awesome Grand Canyon than
by inching toward it by way of locomotive.
The Royal Scotsman
Starting in Edinburgh, The Royal Scotsman has a range of
circuits through the Scottish Highlands depending on how much time you
have. Some start and end in Edinburgh, others will deposit you in places
like London, Glasgow, or Perth.
Brocken Railway
The highest mountains in Northern Germany are known as the Harz,
and the tallest of those is Brocken. Thus, the Brocken Railway takes
groups of passengers and tourists from the small nearby town of
Wernigerode up to the peak of Brocken (3,743 ft in the sky) over the
course of an hour.
The Ghan
The legendary railway bisecting the Australian continent, The
Ghan has gone from Adelaide in the south to Darwin in the north since
1929. The 1,851-mile trip takes just over 54 hours to complete, though
that includes a four hour break part way through the trip in Alice
Springs.
Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express
One of the most well-known train trips in the history of train
trips, the Trans-Siberian Railway carves through Russia, joining Moscow
in the West to Vladisvostok in the East. The entire journey stretches
over 5,772 miles, making it the longest railway in the world, and it
takes about 13 days to properly complete.
The Semmering Railway
Also known as the "world's first true mountain railway,"
Semmering Railway in Austria travels the 25.5 miles from Mürzzuschlag
south to Gloggnitz. It only takes about 2.5 hours, but it makes for a
fabulous jaunt through the scenic Austrian countryside.
The Rhine Valley Line
Traveling along the West Rhine Railway, the 94 miles of the
Rhine Valley Line snake through sections of Germany's wine country. The
most popular leg of the journey is the stretch between Mainz and
Koblenz, which takes just over an hour on the scenic train.
The Denali Star
Only available between May and September, the Denali Star takes
you on a 12-hour journey from Anchorage to Fairbanks, past miles of
fireweed, salmon, and spruce that give Alaska the colors it's known for.
The Adirondack
If you live in North America, it's possible you've heard of this
famous train route that leaves New York, traveling north through 10
hours of East Coast wine country before ending in Montreal. What do you
do when you get to Montreal? Whatever interests you (but if it were me,
I'd be looking into why Lonely Planet named it the "Second Greatest
Party City In The World" in 2011).
The Glacier Express
Not to be confused with the Polar Express, Switzerland's Glacier
Express connects St. Moritz and Zermatt in the Swiss Alps. The famous
railway adventure takes you through 91 tunnels, over gorges, through
valleys, and across 291 bridges while you discover Switzerland during
the 7 incredible hours of the trip.
Cape To Cairo
If I had to choose one train trip from this list to embark on
tomorrow, this would be the one. Originally started as a project in the
late 1800's, the railway was never completed. The idea, to have a single
rail that traverses the north-south of the entire continent of Africa
was largely abandoned, until Rovos Rail started offering the trip in
2008 by hiring alternate methods of transportation between the
disjointed railways. Now, every two years, travelers have the
opportunity to spend 28 days getting acquainted with Africa in a way
folks have only dreamed of for centuries.
TAZARA Railway
Source: upload.wikimedia.org
Another train trip for exploring Africa, the TAZARA railway
joins the massive port city of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to the small
town of Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia. Though the trip that is scheduled to
take 36 hours, frequent delays can extend that time to upwards of 50.
First Pasage To The West
After winning countless awards, it's safe to say that this
Canadian train experience operated by Rocky Mountaineer is probably
worth a try. Traveling over the Canadian Pacific Railway, this route
goes between Vancouver and Banff over the course of 4 days.
El Chepe
One of the finest ways to travel to Chihuahua and the
surrounding areas, El Chepe (also known as the Chihuahua-Pacifico train)
has been operating for over 50 years. Connecting Chihuahua to the state
of Sinaloa, El Chepe takes you on a 405-mile journey that includes
canyons, villages, valleys, and waterfalls.
Douro Line
Portugal's premier scenic train ride, the Douro line hugs the
Douro river in a Portuguese wine-growing valley, and was built between
1875 and 1887.
The Venice Simplon Orient-Express
Tell me this doesn't sound like an amazing trip:
London-Paris-Venice-Florice-Rome. That's the route that the historical
Venice-Simplon Orient Express does every couple of days (since the trip
itself takes just two days to complete).
Hiram Bingham
For charging the jungles of Peru in style, the Hiram Bingham
luxury train offers one-way and round-trip jaunts to Machu Picchu from
Cuzco. The trips take just over 3 hours (one way) or 6 hours (round
trip), and include time time to experience the site and ruins.
Napa Valley Wine Train
There are a lot of ways to take in California's famous wine
country, but few will let you leisurely sample the wine as you go.
Traveling from Napa to St. Helena, the Napa Valley Wine Train motors on
for three hours over historic tracks that were built in the 1860's.
Bergen Railway
The best part about the gorgeous 7-hour, 308-mile trip from
Bergen to Oslo is that (while an incredible standalone adventure on its
own) you'll have the opportunity to tack-on an additional bonus
mini-trip: the almost-as-popular Flam branch line between Voss and
Myrdal.
Qingzang Railway
The famous train tracks that connect China to Tibet, the
Qingzang railway spans 1,215 miles of farm fields, open plains, and
mountainous terrain. Bonus: During the trip you'll cross over the
Tanggula Pass, which at 16,640 feet is the highest length of train rails
in the world.
The Empire Builder
With a name like "The Empire Builder," the expectations are
pretty high for the level of epic this train needs to deliver. And it
does. Amtrak's Empire Builder Route goes from Chicago to
Portland/Seattle along the northernmost states of the country. It does
demand 46 continuous hours of train riding, but is the perfect
complimentary return route for other cross-country trips like The Sunset
Limited.
Manakara Express
One of those great railway journeys that adventure travelers
fantasize about, the Manakara Express traverses the 100 miles between
Madagascar's Fianarantsoa and Manakara over 8-16 hours.
Bernina Express
Connecting the great countries of Switzerland and Italy, the
Bernina Express takes you on a 4 hour moving tour through some of
Europe's most breathtaking winter scenery.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
If big trains aren't your thing, perhaps India's "toy train"
might be more up your alley. Traveling the 48 miles between Siliguri and
Darjeeling, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has been running on the
same rails since the late 1800's, and explores altitudes that range
between 328 and 7,218 feet.
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