Amazing Train Journeys
Book: Amazing Train Journeys
60 Unforgettable trips and how to experience them
I love trains more than any other mode of transport. It’s more civilised than planes - my second favourite - as I can walk on with a coffee and don’t have to arrive two hours before in order for someone to check how heavy my luggage is. Unless you’re in Shanghai where luggage goes through a security check every time and yet there never seem to be any queues.
I am talking about travel adventures rather than waiting for the delayed 8.56 from Birmingham New Street to Sutton Coldfield - although that can be an adventure in a different way and still preferable to going via any road.
So this book is one of the best Christmas presents I could have been given. There are some I won’t do, sometimes due to long tunnels (although I’ve fine with the Eurostar underneath the Channel) but more often because the train goes across an old precarious-looking bridge.
Others I have done (pictured), like the magical trip that forms the last leg of the Coast to Coast journey in Canada, from Montreal to Halifax. One day I’d like to do the whole thing, from Vancouver to Halifax. Not necessarily in one trip though.
Trains journeys I’ve experienced
New York to Poughkeepsie
Hong Kong’s West Rail Line
The Northern Explorer - Auckland to Wellington in a day
plus that bit of the Coast to Coast in Canada
I prefer the lux over the everyday passenger trains (I have them at home) but I’ll take that option if the view on route or destination makes it worthwhile.
Some I never want to do
Lima to Huancaelica - Peru yes, but these high bridges, no. I won’t ever relax
Mandalay to Lashio - Mynamar
Baikal-Amur - Russia
The Death Railway - Thailand (no explanation needed)
Some I want to experience
Rocky Mountaineer - I’ve done the route on a coach tour and do want to experience this much price version *
The Hershey Train - Cuba - who would say no to the Chocolate Train?
The Rupert Train - Jasper to Prince Rupert. Frankly, I want to do every train journey available in Canada
Coat to Coast - Vancouver to Halifax. I’ve been to both cities (the former, many times) however, there will never be enough visits to Canada
The Hokkaido Shinkansen - Tokyo to Hakodate. Because I also want to experience every train journey in Japan
The Eastern & Oriental express - a great way to see both Bangkok and Singapore with a luxurious 3 days on the train in between
Japan’s Post Road Train - Nagoya to Matsumoto
Venice Simplon-Orient-Expres*
Munich to Venice on the Brenner Railway
Cannes to Menton
The Bergensbanen - Oslo to Bergen (or preferably the other way around as I’ve been to Bergen and would like to look forward to ending in Oslo)
Cologne to Mannheim - because Germany is another country I want to experience all off
Inlandsbanan - because 2 days of cutting through the middle of Sweden can only be good for the soul
Centovalli Express - 2 hours from Switzerland to Italy
The Transalpine - Christchurch to Greymouth to explore a bit of New Zealand’s South Island
And all the UK ones because, well, they are right there
Settle to Carlisle
Heart of Wales line
Fort William to Mallaig by Jacobite
London to Fort Willian on the Caledonian as I’ve always wanted to go on this train (although I’d need to get straight out of dull Fort William immediately)
Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways
Some that appeal if I happen to find myself in the country
New Orleans to LA (surprised myself on this one)
La Trochita 3£ hours into rural Argentina
Perurails Lake Titicaca Railway
The Copper Canyon Railway - Mexico
New England’s Amtrak Downeaster. Again, I’ve done the road version of this but it will be great to see the colours and it’s just four hours
The New Mexico RailRnner from Albuquerque to Sante Fe
I don’t particularly want to be on a big bridge but I do like looking at them. So much of this book is about the bridge. I better with tunnels but even better without. So it’s surprising how much I love being on a train.
I’m a planner so I like knowing the times I’ll travel and when I’ll arrive so I can work out what I will do on the journey. Quite often I get served at the table or sometimes I take on the challenge of the cafe cart to get my feet moving for a bit. It’s great not to have to concentrate on where I’m going as the train will stop where I need it to. Plus I can sleep, drink coffee, read, chat, listen to music - whatever I like or all five.
Note: This list would have been different if I’d made it while reading the book. Unfortunately, I didn’t think about it until afterwards.
