Off the rails
Like luxury cruising, train travel is a link back to a time when getting there was as much fun as being there. Lee Atkinson jumps aboard 10 of the world’s greatest trains.
Australia: Indian Pacific & The Ghan
Operating Australia’s classic transcontinental train trip, the Indian Pacific takes three nights to travel from Sydney to Perth – a great deal longer than the 5 hour flying time but also a great deal more intriguing. There’s not a lot to do onboard other than sit back and contemplate the vastness of the Australian outback, but that’s part of the appeal of this long, languid journey. Scenic highlights include a turn through the dramatic Blue Mountains, sunrise over the Menindee Lakes (a mecca for birdwatchers) and the endless expanse that is the Nullarbor Plain, home to the longest straight stretch of train track in the world at 478 kilometres. Off-train excursions are available along the way, including a stop at Crook, one of the loneliest towns in the country: population two.
Australia’s other great cross-country train ride, The Ghan, cuts the nation in two from north to south, carrying travellers 2,979 kilometres from Adelaide to Darwin in 47 hours. Replacing the Afghan cameleers who once traversed the outback carrying essential goods and news to the far-flung towns, The Ghan first chugged out of Adelaide station headed for Alice Springs in 1929 – a trip that sometimes took up to six weeks to complete. It’s a much speedier journey today, but no less scenic, passing through the heart of Central Australia before terminating in the tropical Top End.
Canada: Rocky Mountaineer
This handsome glass-domed train takes two days to travel between the beautiful seaside port of Vancouver on Canada’s wild west coast through the majestic Canadian Rockies to resort town Whistler and Jasper or Banff national parks, the latter journey ending in Calgary. Whichever route you choose, it’s an all-daylight run, which means you miss none of the spectacular scenery and enjoy comfortable motel accommodation at night. When it comes to wining and dining, acclaimed chefs serve dishes that showcase the best of western Canada. In the trains GoldLeaf dining room, guests dine on baked wild salmon, slow-roasted Alberta bison, and pickerel from northern Alberta. The train winds its way through the heart of the Rockies, chugging through a maze of tunnels that burrow through mountainsides, doubling back to cut down steep grades. This is when the train’s glass ceilings come in handy: sit back in your seat and admire the snow-capped peaks that loom overhead.
China, Russia, Mongolia: Trans-Siberian Railway
If you’re really keen to ride the rails for as long as you can, a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway across China, Mongolia and Russia is as exhausting as train journeys come. Trains cover two routes: the 7,865-kilometre-long, six-day Trans-Mongolian line that links Beijing to Siberia, then Moscow and St. Petersburg via Mongolia; and the Trans-Manchurian rail line that travels from the Chinese capital to Moscow and St Petersburg over seven days. Although the trip can be tedious at times – long hours are spent at border crossings – when you finally do arrive at your destination, it’s with a sense of immense accomplishment.
Europe: Venice Simplon-Orient Express
Perhaps more than any other train, the Orient Express symbolises the era of romantic train travel: it ferried well-heeled passengers between Paris and Istanbul for more than 120 years. The original train has since been derailed, but the privately owned Venice Simplon-Orient-Express aims to replicate the experience, travelling between London and Venice. Luxury cabins – designed to capture the Art-Deco elegance of yesteryear – sumptuous cuisine and attentive personal service make this journey an experience of a lifetime.
Europe: Rail Europe
With some 25,000 stops around Europe, there are few train networks better connected than Rail Europe. Encompassing a range of different trains – including Eurostar, Thalys, TGV, and Trenitalia, among others – the network whisks travellers between Europe’s main cities at speed and in comfort. There are a host of scenic routes offering a peek at the continent’s breathtaking natural bounty, as well as a number of night and hotel trains to deliver you to your next destination well rested and ready for a day of sightseeing.
India: Maharajas’ Express
A more luxurious version of India’s classic Palace on Wheels, the Maharajas’ Express – replete with plush cabins fitted out with state-of-the-art technology – operates six and seven night journeys from Delhi to Agra and on through Rajasthan and the west of the country: past magnificent places and imposing forts steeped in rich history. Off-train tours include a boat ride to the Lake Palace hotel in Udaipur, an elephant polo match in Jaipur and a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra. Alternative routes take you to Mumbai or the holy city of Varanasi via the vast Bandhavgarh National Park.
Scotland: The Royal Scotsman
The Royal Scotsman is considered one of the finest luxury trains in the world, traversing the mountains and glens of the Scottish Highlands on two to seven and four-day excursions from Edinburgh. Like a grand country house on wheels, the train accommodates just 36 guests in cabins with all the trimmings. A range of itineraries includes daily sightseeing excursions to gardens, distilleries and golf courses, as well as visits to private castles and estates.
South Africa: Blue Train
One train that is not lacking in opulence is the Blue Train, which began travelling between Cape Town and Pretoria in 1946. Today, it operates along two routes: one traversing the 1,600 kilometres between Cape Town and Pretoria in 24 hours; the other carrying passengers along the “Garden Route”, 1,068 kilometres from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth along the stunning southern rim of Africa. Depending on your route, highlights might include spectacular coastal and mountain scenery, an excursion to an ostrich farm, a visit to the Cango Caves (with some of the most impressive stalactites in the world) or a tour of the Kimberly diamond mines.
Southeast Asia: Eastern and Orient Express
Accommodating 132 passengers in 66 swish cabins – think cherry wood panels, decorative marquetry and intricate inlays – the Eastern and Orient Express recaptures the golden age of rail travel with a range of classic rail journeys through Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and now into Laos over the friendship bridge. As difficult as it is to tear yourself away from your accommodation, off-train excursions are hard to resist: they include tours through rice fields to shimmering temples and on into villages of silk-weavers.
Vietnam: Reunification Express
Despite its name, Vietnam’s Reunification Express, the major rail line between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, is actually rather slow. Thankfully, there are plenty of diversions to be found in stopover towns along the way, including the country’s ancient capital Hue, with its rich cultural heritage and citadel; historic Hoi An, a shoppers’ paradise, home to hundreds of tailors; and beach-resort town of Nha Trang, among others. This is not a luxury train, but it’s “soft class” sleeper berths are comfortable and the dramatic scenery more than makes up for the lack of frills.
Photos courtesy of respective trains.
Article courtesy of Vacations and Travel Magazine.
