Top 5 Rail Journeys
It’s not all about planes and cruise ships when you book a holiday, one major mode of transport that has always been popular is the train. There are many rail companies Worldwide that offer a chance to take on a long journey whilst enjoying the scenery from the comfort of a seat. It was very hard to narrow it down to just five and I’m sure if you ask somebody else, they would come up with a different five to myself but these are the ones that I feel deserve a place on the list:
Rocky Mountaineer, Canada
Travelling between Vancouver and Banff, the Rocky Mountaineer’s First Passage to the West is one of the most picturesque train rides in Canada. On leaving Vancouver behind, passengers are afforded to brilliant views from the comfort of luxurious carriages through the large, waist to ceiling windows. Sites seen will include the wild waters of Hell’s Gate in Fraser Canyon and steep tracks running alongside the Thompson River. The entire journey starts with an overnight stay in the city of Kamloops before it rises over the Canadian Rockies and arriving into Banff. :
Glacier Express, Switzerland
The Glacier Express connects the two most picturesque mountain resorts in Switzerland, Zermatt and St Moritz. It is the most relaxing way to enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Swiss Alps. On the day long journey, passengers will go through 91 tunnels and over 291 bridges as they view alpine meadows, picture perfect hamlets and pristine mountain lakes of southern Switzerland. At its highest point they will reach 2,033 metres above sea level, at Oberalp Pass. :
Flåm Railway, Norway
Priding itself as one of Norway’s leading attractions, the Flåm Railway is the shortest rail journey on the list but don’t think this makes it any less spectacular than the rest. Running from the tiny village of Flåm in the Sognefjord, it takes around one hour, non-stop, to get to the other end at Myrdal station. A short stop at Kjosfossen waterfall is made on every journey for passengers to disembark and take pictures of the area from the platform. A winter journey on the Flåm Railway is a must and affords the most spectacular scenery frozen in time. :
Rovos Rail, Namibia, Tanzania & South Africa
The luxury wood-panelled coaches of Rovos Rail can accommodate a maximum of 72 guests and runs on various routes throughout Southern Africa, from South Africa to Namibia and Tanzania. Journeys on the train can last anything from a few hours to 15 days and cover some of the most spectacular scenery en-route. Rovos Rail is a very traditional train ride where no technology exists and for the evening men are required to dress in a jacket and tie and ladies in a cocktail or evening dress but with the finest of chefs onboard preparing your meals daily, it really is a very unique experience. :
TranzAlpine, New Zealand
Stretching from coast to coast on New Zealand’s South Island, the TranzAlpine takes in the vast Canterbury Plains, spectacular southern Alps and wild West Coast. Viewing from the comfort of the carriage through huge panoramic windows, look out for the spectacular gorges and river valleys of the Waimakariri River before climbing into the Southern Alps to Arthurs Pass National Park and descending once more through lush rainforest. The journey will end in the historic former gold mining town of Greymouth. :
As I said at the beginning, there are so many other rail journeys that take in beautiful parts of the world, Trans-Siberian Railway - Russia, Belmond Hiram Bingham – Peru, Golden Eagle Danube Express - Istanbul to Budapest, Bangkok to Nam Tok – Thailand, and The Ghan – Australia to name just a few. If you are thinking of a holiday and want to include something a little different, then may be a rail journey would be a good addition to try. Give me a call on 07903 737959 or email me on louisepeddelty@gocruiseandtravel.co.uk to discuss any ideas further you may have. :
