Table of Contents
These train rides are the pinnacle of perfection in train travel.
Eight train journeys around the world that will transport you through spectacular mountain landscapes.
Plus, they all have the seal of approval from Lonely Planet’s adventure experts, as they appear in the guide. Amazing Train Rides took.
From the Scottish Highlands to the towering granite peaks of the Rocky Mountains, you’ll pass dizzying cliffs, cross epic bridges and navigate through “logic-defying tunnels.”
Scroll down to find out which sensational service you would most like to tackle.
Rocky Mountaineer, Canada
The Rocky Mountaineer passes through spectacular scenery best appreciated from the GoldLeaf-class observation car (above)
A trip on Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer sleeper train between Vancouver and Banff is one of the most sought-after trips in the world, and it’s no wonder. For starters, it meanders through some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet.
Lonely Planet says: “This train journey follows the tracks of a pioneering 19th-century railway and is equal parts geological excursion, sightseeing adventure and wildlife safari. It promises cinematic views of quintessential Canadian mountain landscapes, plus a wealth of engineering marvels, from dizzying bridges to logic-defying tunnels.”
If you’re lucky, the volume says, you might spot a bald eagle, a moose or a grizzly bear.
Passengers also travel in style. Lonely Planet adds that those with a higher category, “GoldLeaf,” have access to a double-decker carriage with an observation deck on the upper level and a dining area on the lower level.
Visit: rockymountaineer.com.
La Trochita, Argentina
Passengers travel on Argentina’s La Trochita Andean train in carriages with barely enough room to stand, but the views are incredible
What Argentina’s La Trochita lacks in luxury, it makes up for in incredible views.
Lonely Planet explains that this “ancient steam train trundles through a desolate landscape” between Esquel and Nahuel Pan in the Argentine Andes, with passengers travelling in carriages so compact there is barely enough room to stand up inside.
The guide adds: ‘Heated by ancient wood stoves and dwarfed by the mountainous terrain, the train has to stop at regular intervals as strong winds blow hard across the vast landscape.’
Visit latrochita.org.ar.
Serra Verde Express, Brazil
The Serra Verde Express ‘winds through spectacular mountain passes covered in rainforest’
The Serra Verde Express is “one of Brazil’s most spectacular train journeys,” says the Lonely Planet book, which says it “winds through dramatic rainforest-covered mountain passes” and passes through “canyons, rugged mountain peaks and lush lowlands.”
What’s more, “it offers a fascinating glimpse into the past as you move through small stations dating back to the late 19th century.”
The trip begins in the city of Curitiba, in the state of Paraná, and ends in Morretes, a “picturesque colonial city on the banks of the Nhundiaquara River.”
Visit: RailSouthAmerica.com
Glacier Express, Switzerland
Switzerland’s Glacier Express (above) ‘cuts through beautiful alpine terrain and teeters over 291 bridges’
If the Swiss could choose their ultimate train journey, the honour would surely fall to the Glacier Express.
That’s what it says Amazing train rides.
The entry for this trip in the book reads: ‘This eight-hour journey from luxurious St. Moritz to Matterhorn-top Zermatt takes in the country’s enchanting southern Alpine terrain, winding up windswept mountain passes, lurching over 291 bridges and rumbling through 91 tunnels.
‘The slowest express train on the planet. It intentionally moves at a snail’s pace so you can enjoy otherworldly views of meadows, forests, waterfalls and mountains.’
Visit: glacierexpress.ch/en.
The little yellow train, France
The Petit Train Jaune slowly makes its way through the canyons to the highest station on the French railway network
The Petit Train Jaune (Little Yellow Train) is a mountain railway “often cited as the most picturesque in France”, with passengers “chugging through the jagged mountains of the Pyrenees” in sunflower-yellow carriages.
The train, which has been running since 1910, begins its journey in the walled town of Villefranche-de-Conflent, the book explains, then “slowly weaves along canyons and teeters alongside dizzying cliff edges” to Bolquère-Eyne, which, at 5,223 feet (1,592 m), is the highest station on the French rail network.
The last stop is Latour-de-Carol, near the Spanish border.
Visit: en.raileurope.com
Bernina Express, Switzerland
The Bernina Express offers passengers views of “glacier-covered mountains, waterfall-strewn ravines and brightly colored lakes.”
The Bernina Express, which runs from Chur in Grisons to Tirano in northern Italy, is often considered one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world, the book notes.
Why? Because it offers passengers views of “glacier-capped mountains, waterfall-strewn ravines, brightly colored lakes and endless fir forests glimpsed through panoramic windows.”
The book notes that the railway itself is also a marvel: “it passes through 55 tunnels and 196 bridges.”
Visit: tickets.rhb.ch.
From Kalka to Shimla, India
Hop on a service on the Kalka–Shimla line and you’ll enjoy “stirring views” and a ride to “breathtaking heights”.
The Kalka-Shimla narrow gauge line in the Himalayas “follows the foothills of the world’s most imposing mountains,” says Amazing Train Journeys.
Step aboard and you’ll enjoy “stirring views” and a journey to “breathtaking heights”, with Kalka at an altitude of 2,150 feet (665 metres) and Shimla at 6,811 feet (2,076 metres).
Services on this line are operated by Indian Railways.
Visit: Railyatri.in
Caledonian Sleeper, London Euston to Fort William
The Caledonian Sleeper (above) epitomises the romance of rail travel, according to Lonely Planet
The train crosses the Allt Kinglass Viaduct (seen in the distance) and Corrour in Scotland.
The Caledonian Sleeper takes passengers from London’s Euston Station to Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William. For Lonely Planet, the trip to Fort William (which includes crossing the spectacular Allt Kinglass Viaduct and a stop at Corrour, Britain’s highest station at 408m) is the highlight.
He says: ‘Going from the sooty suburbs and crowded concrete-lined cul-de-sacs of central London to the fresh air and stunning views of the Scottish Highlands, via an overnight train journey, epitomises the romance of rail travel.’
Visit: sleeping.scottish.
Amazing Train Journeys – 60 Unforgettable Rail Trips and How to Experience Them by Lonely Planet is available now (£22.99)