Favorite 5 Train Tours in the World

When it comes to traveling by train, it’s about the journey more so than the destination. The allure of train travel is being able to relax as you roll by some of the most beautiful sights a country has to offer and experience landscapes that you might not otherwise be able to enjoy. Whether it’s passing by the Canadian Rocky Mountains or gliding on tracks tens of thousands of feet in the air, here are our favorite five train trips.

First Passage to the West

Canada has some fantastic sights, and it’s often difficult to decide between visiting the beautiful city of Vancouver and the awe-inspiring charm of Banff. But, with the Rocky Mountaineer’s First Passage to the West, you don’t have to make that choice. There are various different routes that the Rocky Mountaineer – Canada’s premier luxury train operator – has to offer, but the fan favorite is the First Passage to the West. This train starts in the city of Vancouver before taking passengers through Fraser Valley for the first peek of the mountains, then on through the mysterious town of Revelstoke, and eventually to the end of the journey, in Banff, Alberta.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Have you ever wanted to be in the book Murder on the Orient Express but without the murder? When traveling on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported back to the golden age of train travel in the 1930s.

With timeless nostalgia and glamor that knows no bounds, this is one of the most iconic train trips in the world. This train travels between some of Europe’s favorite spots. With gold lining the walls of the suites, luxurious food, and strong encouragement to dress up, this train trip is one of the best.

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway

Also known as the Railway to Heaven, this engineering marvel holds the world record for being the world’s highest train route, careening passengers over 16,000 feet in the air. The Qinghai-Tibet train trip feels far away from the bright lights and hustle-bustle that comes with most cities in China. As you trundle on the tracks up the high mountains, over the salty lakes, and through the charming villages, you enter Tibet. It’s only less than 24-hours of travel, but due to the high altitudes, the trains have private oxygen-dispensing outlets and a supply system that increases oxygen in the cabins when necessary.

The Flåm Railway

Short but sweet, this one-hour train ride through Norway is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. The Flåm Railway train winds up the mountains and through 20 tunnels – almost all of them excavated by hand.

Running alongside sparkling blue rivers and through the old Flåm village center, the train even stops for a few minutes for guests to take photos at the Kjosfossen waterfall.

The Ghan

Much more than just a train journey, this three-day trip is almost 2,000 miles of pure beauty. With four different cabin options – all being quite spacious for a train – and regionally-inspired food and drinks included on this excursion, it is well worth it. The Ghan train rolls from the North of Australia in Darwin through the fiery red heart of the continent and ends at the Southern part of Australia, in Adelaide.

There are also plenty of off-train excursions, where you are able to visit Katherine, Alice Springs, and Manguri, all included in the fare.