Best Train Journeys in the World

Lot’s of people, especially kids, love a good train ride.

Here is our list of the top train journey’s in the world. Add some or all to your bucket list. To book any of these contact the agents at InterlineTravel.com at 800 766-2911.

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express – London to Venice – Departs 1 to 6 times a month. Takes 2 days and covers 1,300 miles. Who has not heard of the Orient Express. So legendary, sometimes people are surprised it really exists. TheT Orient Express is a luxury train experience that is privately owned. The passenger train cars are fully restored. Originally built in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Ranked among the best and most upscale train rides in the world.

The Reunification Express – Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – An epic 2 day journey going between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Departs daily. This train rattles through historic cities and swooshes beside spectacular coastlines.

The Beijing-to-Lhasa Express – China – Beijing-Lhasa Train Z21 departs daily at 19:53 from Beijing West Railway Station and arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 11:36 two days later, taking 40:33 hours to ride through as far as 3,757 kilometers and cross over 8 provinces. Its return train is Z22. The soft sleeper room will run you about $160.

Nova Gorica to Jesenice – Nova Gorica to Jesenice, Slovenia – Departs daily. Takes 2 hours and covers 55 miles. Slovenian Railways (SŽ) operates a train from Nova Gorica to Jesenice every 4 hours. Tickets cost $7 – $15 and the journey takes 1h 54m. A trip with a steam-powered museum train along the picturesque region of the Slovenian Alps represents quite an interesting adventure. You are warmly invited to take a train ride in the old way, from Jesenice to Nova Gorica and back.

The California Zephyr – Chicago and San Francisco, USA – This train will take you from Chicago to San Francisco. This classic three-day ride travels across prairies, deserts, the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada on its way from the Midwest to the West Coast.

The Sunset Limited – New Orleans and Los Angeles, USA – Three days a week. Takes 2 days. The ultimate American railroad ride: east to west, coast to coast, clean through from the bars of New Orleans to the breakers of the Pacific Ocean. If you’ve always dreamed of crossing the States, but don’t much relish the prospect of two weeks spent cooped up in an automobile, then a ride on the Sunset Limited is the answer.

Napa Wine Train – Napa, California – Departs daily and is exactly what you would think it is. A vintage train taking you through the wine country of Napa. They offer trips or 2.5 to 6 hours in length. Some with dinner, some with wine tastings.

Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad – Durango, Colorado. Opened in 1882. The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, often abbreviated as the D&SNG, is a 3 ft narrow-gauge heritage railroad that operates on 45.2 mi of track between Durango and Silverton, in the U.S. state of Colorado. Operates year round. Fall is by far the most popular time during Fall Foliage.

Texas State Railroad – Palestine, Texas – Restored vintage train. Vintage steam and diesel locomotives take passengers across the celebrated rails of the Piney Woods Route between the quaint East Texas towns of Palestine and Rusk on a 50-mile roundtrip adventure. This quintessential day trip, only a few hours from the metropolitan communities of Dallas and Houston, will create a memory that will last a lifetime.

The Ghan – Adelaide to Darwin, Australia – Departs twice a week. Takes 54 hours and covers 1,851 miles. The Ghan is pricey and it’s because everything is included in your ticket: gourmet meals, wines, beverages, and the off-train experiences. Also, the train is not your average ride — it is a beautiful, historic, and luxurious train.

Indian Pacific – Sydney and Perth, Australia – The Indian Pacific is a weekly experiential tourism passenger train service that runs in Australia’s east–west rail corridor between Sydney, on the shore of the Pacific Ocean, and Perth, on the shore of the Indian Ocean – thus, like its counterpart in the north–south corridor, The Ghan, one of the few truly transcontinental trains in the world. It first ran in 1970 after the completion of gauge conversion projects in South Australia and Western Australia, enabling for the first time a cross-continental rail journey that did not have a break of gauge. The train has been rated as one of the great rail journeys of the world.^[4] Its route includes the world’s longest straight stretch of railway track, a 478-kilometre (297 mi) stretch of the Trans-Australian Railway across the Nullarbor Plain.^[5]

The TranzAlpine – Christchurch and Greymouth, New Zealand – Takes you from the east coast to the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island. The TranzAlpine train travels coast-to-coast through the ‘Great Divide’ and the indomitable spine of mountains that partitions New Zealand’s South Island. One of the world’s great train journeys, covering 223 kilometres (139 miles) one-way and taking just under 5 hours

The Lake Titicaca Train – Puso and Cusco, Peru – Three times a week this train takes you between Puno and Cusco in about 10,5 hours. This is a favorite for photographers and those travelers looking for a stress-free exploration option. Included in your ticket is a three-course lunch with wine, afternoon tea and a welcome cocktail. The meal is prepared with local produce and is served in the comfortable dining carriage. The freshly mixed Pisco sours prepared by the Titicaca barman are a definite ‘not to be missed’. You’ll also get to experience some incredible local treats along the way such as dancing and local live music.

The Eastern & Oriental Express – Bangkok to Singapore – Departs  weekly, takes 3 days and overs 1,200 miles. A 3 country journey that takes you to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Fully air-conditioned with all the facilities of a luxury 5 star hotel, the Eastern & Oriental Express was created in 1992 by Orient Express Trains, the same people who have run the superb Venice Simplon Orient Express since 1982.  The train uses Japanese-built coaches which were originally used for the short-lived Silver Star sleeper service from Auckland to Wellington in New Zealand (1972-1979).  The cars have been totally rebuilt internally for the modern cruise train market, to luxury standards with en suites to every compartment.  You’ll find both the train itself and its staff truly excellent.  The Eastern & Oriental Express is all non-smoking, although smokers can smoke in the open-air observation car at the rear of the train. Yes, the owner of the Eastern and Oriental Express also owns the Venice-Simplon-Orient Express in Europe.

The Bergensbanen – Olso and Bergen, Norway – The Bergen Railway is a seven-hour trip between Oslo and Bergen that’s been voted one of the world’s most beautiful train journeys. If you’re traveling from the capital, Oslo, the journey starts in an urban environment and takes you through some of the absolute highlights of Norwegian nature: forested valleys, stunning fjords, and Northern Europe’s largest mountain plateau, Hardangervidda. With almost 500 kilometres of railway, you have a unique opportunity to experience many of the dramatic contrasts one finds in Norwegian nature. Due to Norway’s northern climate, the Bergen Railway provides completely different experiences depending on the season in which you travel. Operates Daily.

The Bernina Express – Chur, Switzerland to Tirano, Italy -Departs daily, takes 4.5 hours and covers 96 miles. The Bernina Express is a train connecting Chur in Switzerland to Poschiavo in Switzerland and Tirano in Italy by crossing the Swiss Engadin Alps. For most of its journey, the train also runs along the World Heritage Site known as the Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes.

The Glacier Express – St. Moritz to Zermatt, Switzerland. Departs daily, takes 8 hours and cover 180 miles. The Glacier Express is a direct train connecting railway stations of the two major mountain resorts of Zermatt and St. Moritz via Andermatt in the central Swiss Alps. 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 an 8-hours-long end-to-end 291 km (181 mi) journey, and omits stops made by local trains. The Glacier Express has been called the ‘slowest express train in the world’. As St. Moritz and Zermatt are home to two well-known mountains, the Glacier Express is also said to travel from Matterhorn to Piz Bernina.

Cannes to Menton – Cannes to Menton, France – Departs multiple times daily. Takes 1 hour and 20 minutes and covers 34 miles. A slow train along the French Riviera  taking you to the glamourous and legendary cities of Cannes, Antibes and Monaco. On one side of the train is the Mediterranean sea and the other side you see dramatic cliffs and the coastal towns. You might get off at a town and reboard the next train in a hour or so. A train ticket from Cannes to Menton is $16.61. However the price varies depending on how early you buy, and if it’s peak time to travel.

Tazara Railway – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia – Operates twice a week and take 46 hours. This is a chance rather than a guarantee – of spotting big game from your seat. Passing through the vast plains of Tanzania, your journey will lead you through the biggest game reserve in Africa – Selous Game Reserve – which covers an area larger than the Netherlands. The train then winds its way up into Western Tanzania and the mountains region of Mbeya before descending and crossing the border into Zambia and arriving at the trains final stop – Kapiri. Each trip aboard the Tazara is a throw of the dice. Once the train pulls out from the station, it’s hard to know what lies in store for Tazara passengers. Perhaps your ride will be smooth, relaxing and drama-free. Maybe the most excitement you’ll get is spotting a load of cute Zebras munching on shrubs track-side. On the other hand, in the dead of night, maybe the train will suddenly jolt to stop because a herd of elephants have been spotted up ahead and are blocking the tracks (#truestory). Or perhaps the train might even break-down mid-journey and you’ll be stranded in the middle of nowhere for hours on end(#alsotruestory).

Colombo to Badulla – Colombo to Badulla, Sri Lanka – The train ride from Colombo to Badulla will awaken all your senses. Take in Sri Lanka’s breathtaking natural sights as you traverse terraced tea plantations, lush forests and misty mountains. Hang out the open doorways and feel the cool breeze of the hill country in your hair. Take on the chaotic hustle of street food sellers who board the trains at each stop, get yourself some crispy papadums or rice with curry, and break bread with a fellow traveler. All along the way, reminding yourself that sometimes, the journey is just as magical as the destination. The average train between Colombo and Badulla takes 10h 8m and the fastest train takes 9h 20m. The train service runs several times per day from Colombo to Badulla. The journey time may be longer on weekends and holidays. Tickets cost $1 – $6

The Caledonian Sleeper – London to Fort William, United Kingdom – Departs daily and takes about 13.5 hours. Traveling from London to the Scottish Highlands, this train trip gives you a great view of the United Kingdom. Enjoy the buffet-car banter, be lulled to sleep by the rhythm of the rails, then wake up to bedside views of towering granite peaks.

The Rocky Mountaineer – Vancouver to Banff or return. Operates twice a week and take 37 hours covering 594 miles. Travel through the iconic Spiral Tunnels, traverse the Continental Divide, and be inspired as you wind through mountain passes and dramatic canyons. Experience the only passenger rail service on this historic rail route by Rocky Mountaineer, celebrated for connecting Canada from East to West.

The Madaraka Experience – Mombasa to Nairobi – Kenya – Departs daily and takes just over 5 hours. This train is among Africa’s most legendary: it even helped foster the modern concept of safari. Enjoy a spellbinding journey, with trains departing from Mombasa and passing in the shadow of Kilimanjaro to the cusp of the Great Rift Valley across the Kenyan savannah.

Tangier to Marrakesh, Morocco – The journey takes approximately 5 hours and 49 minutes, and the ticket prices range from $19 to $40. There is no direct train from Tangier station to Marrakech (Station). However, there are services departing from Tanger Ville station and arriving at Marrakech via Casablanca. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 5h 58m.

The Serra Verde Express – Curitiba to Morretes, Brazil – Departs daily. Takes 3.5 hours and covers 42 miles. This is Brazil’s most famous tourist train. The most memorable and breathtaking section of this railway journey is where the train enters the cloud forests of the “Pico do Marumbi State Park” and descends to Moretes at sea level.

Hokkaidō Shinkansen – Tokyo to Hokkaido, Japan – Departs daily for 4 hours and covers 512 miles.  This is the Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line that links up with the Tōhoku Shinkansen in northern Aomori Prefecture in Honshu and continues on into the interior of Hokkaido through the undersea Seikan Tunnel.

Alexandria to Aswan – Alexandria to Aswan, Egypt – Departs daily. 16 hours and covers 670 miles. Egyptian Railways are the most comfortable way to travel between Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria, Port Said & Suez. The views from the train along the Nile give you a real insight into the country

The Darjeeling Toy Train – New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling, India – Departs daily. Takes 7 to 8 hours and covers 55 miles. A legendary narrow gauge train. The bottle-blue Darjeeling Toy Train is the nations lead engine. This train has been declared a world heritage site. Built between 1879 and 1881, it is about 88 km (55 mi) long. It climbs from about 100 m (330 ft) above sea level at New Jalpaiguri to about 2,200 m (7,200 ft) at Darjeeling, using six zig zags and five loops to gain altitude.

Rovos Rail – South Africa, Namibia and Tanzania. Departures vary, multiple times a month. Length vares by departure as the the length of the trip. Rovos Rail is a private railway company operating out of Capital Park Station in Pretoria, South Africa. Rovos Rail runs its train-hotel to a regular schedule on various routes throughout Southern Africa, from South Africa to Namibia and Tanzania.