Most Scenic Train Rides in the World

Magic is something about trains. Trains are unlike aircraft where you are packed between strangers and anticipate turbulence to ruin your coffee or bus where each shock is a personal act of violating your spine. They glide. They allow you the luxury of sitting by the window and seeing the world unfolding slowly like a story. And, by the way, there are train trips which are so spectacular that they make you forget that Instagram exists (almost).

And thus, when you feel like swapping the pandemonium in the airports with the window seat and sights in the train ride that you would see in a postcard, here are some of the most picturesque train journeys in the world which you really need to take at least once in a lifetime.

The Glacier Express (Switzerland)

There is no reason why they refer to it as the slowest express train in the world. Glacier express will take approximately 8 hours to putter along between Zermatt and St. Moritz but frankly, no one complains when you are drinking wine and watching the Swiss Alps pass like a moving picture.

Think of snow-covered mountain ranges, glacial stream valleys, and fairytale townships, their shingles so beautiful that they must have been made on Pinterest. It is posh, it is relaxing and it is nothing but a traveling post card.

Trick: Book the panoramic coach. Those mountains are no match to regular windows.

The Rocky Mountaineer (Canada)

The Rocky Mountaineer would be likely to receive a trophy of pride and joy in Canada should such a trophy exist. This train passes through the Canadian Rockies making you feel small in the best way possible. Mountainous heights, blue oceans, woodland that appears infinite it is nature flaunting every turn.

You will go through places such as Banff and Jasper which are already bucket-list destinations on their own, right? but why not watch them from the comfort of a glass-domed train car? That’s something next level. It is not merely a trip, it is a front row experience to the greatest Netflix series by Mother Nature.

The Ghan (Australia)

The Ghan is not just another scenic train ride, it is an adventure. This is a trip extending almost 3,000 km through the north to Darwin, and south, to Adelaide, right through the red centre of Australia.

Imagine this, one minute you are surging through tropical landscapes, then the next minute you are engulfed by vast deserts that appear like they were home to a thousand secrets of the Outback. The sky over here is sunsetting like a paintbox ran into a fight.

Fun fact: The Ghan is nearly a hundred years old and it is still one of the most iconic methods to see Australia the right way.

The TranzAlpine (New Zealand)

New Zealand is the essence of the playground of nature and the TranzAlpine train is your golden ticket to go and see it without having to sweat. It is just a few hours long, running between Christchurch and Greymouth, but every minute of it is full of sights that make you think you have landed in Middle-earth.

Rolling farmlands? Check. Snow-capped mountains? Double check. gorges and rivers and dense wood that seems to be sheltering hobbits? Absolutely. This ride is the confirmation that even the great adventures can be so small.

Bernina Express (Italy to Switzerland)

A Swiss loveliness, but this time there is a twist and it terminates in Italy. The Bernina Express, which runs between Chur in Switzerland, over the Alps, will leave you in some of the most dramatic sceneries that you will ever witness. Imagine spiraling viaducts, glaciers that you can reach nearly at your fingertips, and villages that are built on steep banks that cannot be held by forces of gravity.

And then when you believe it can be no better, you drive into Tirano, Italy, where there is no smell like espresso and fresh pasta. It is a vacation within a vacation, and, frankly speaking, what is there not to like?

The Blue Train (South Africa)

If James Bond ever sold his Aston Martin in favor of the train it would have been the Blue Train. It is not merely a picturesque ride, it is luxury on wheels. Travelling between Pretoria and Capetown, it has it all, gold-interior, fine-dining, and a landscape that swings between endless savannahs and mountainous sceneries.

You will explore the sceneries of South Africa at their best, with large open plains where wildlife roam in the vineyards and the coast of Cape Town. It is that kind of a ride where the place might be fantastic but the ride may steal the show.

The Flam Railway (Norway)

If fjords had a fan club the Flam Railway would be the President. It is a brief, yet a powerful ride, as it takes you on a rapid trip down steep valleys, over raging waterfalls and above cliffs so intense that you wish to squeal with delight (which you will, believe me).

It is a trip that takes one hour yet it carries more scenery than most of the flights across continents. When you roll into Flam, you will be more humbled and spellbound.

Why Rides on the Train are Different

There is something about a train ride that makes one feel more attached to the locations that one is passing. Perhaps it is the uniform motion of the wheels, perhaps it is because you are not in a hurry to get from point A to point B but you are enjoying the ride. Trains help us remember that traveling is not all about getting there but about the bits in between.

When you ride in a train you see. A farmer waving in a field. An outburst of wildflowers. A cute little house which seems to have been torn out of a fairy tale. You don’t get these when you are up at 35,000 feet and you miss them.

Final Boarding Call

There are too many planes, highways and short cuts in the world but there are occasions when the best way to travel is to take it slow and give view the lead. It could be riding through the Swiss Alps, or the Rockies in Canada, or across the red centre of Australia, but scenic train trips help us remember why the trip itself is important.

The next time you are going on a flight, instead of taking the low fare airfare option, perhaps you should book a train ticket on one of these trains. Believe me, Trust me your eyes 

(or camera roll) will thank you!