World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys

[VPS]

I was lucky enough to travel by train to Fort William and then on to Mallaig last year.

The Nightjet trains are great. I try to fit in one somehow whenever I am EU.

And another +1 for the Berniner Express being a terrific trip. Oslo to Bergen is also stunning.

I first did Fort William to Mallaig on the train in 1982 and I still have vivid memories of how stunning that trip was - I drove it in 2017 and it was still great but the train is better

 

[PineappleSkip]

I would love to have gone on one of the trains in days gone by where the whole train went on the ferry but don't think they exist any more

There is indeed still a train ferry to ride in Europe. The ferry from Rødby in Denmark to Puttgarden in Germany unfortunately lost its trains last year.

The Berlin Night Express from Berlin to Malmö, an overnighter by ferry from Sassnitz to Trelleborg, but only in midsummer, has been resurrected the last couple of years. Unfortunately, Stena line has suggested the Sassnitz-Trelleborg ferry is kaput post covid, and it’s unclear what the alternative route will be.

And of course ferry is the only way by train to Sicily, and for the time being the only remaining train ferry. Here’s a pic of an intercity split in two and parked in the bowels of a ferry from Messina to Villa San Giovanni. The actual ferry trip is only 20 minutes, but with all the the shunting the total time from arriving one side to leaving the other is nearly two hours.
(Edited to include the bad news)
cheers skip

 

[UP4014]

We are doing a half day Apt railway trip late October from Queenstown. Unfortunately time won't allow us to do the full trip from Queenstown to Strahan.
Thanks to the OP for pointing out the SBS program. I'll be catching up on the SBS on demand app.

From the rear 1st class car on descending the Strahan side of the hill.

https://flic.kr/p/2iSNUi2

 

[UP4014]

Seems that some are still operating. Might be an adventure to get to them...

Train ferry - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The interisland ferry in New Zealand still carries trains for something a bit closer.

 

[JessicaTam]

There is indeed still a train ferry to ride in Europe. The ferry from Rødby in Denmark to Puttgarden in Germanyunfortunately lost its trains last year.

Dang. I did that trip a couple of years back. Usual German/Danish efficiency. No shunting, the train just drove straight on and the pax had hardly got upstairs before we were off.

Last night’s episode of the TranzAlpine brought back more memories.

 

[OATEK]

While the night sleeper from Paris to Berlin was not particularly scenic (ocurring under the cover of darkness), it was evocative. But then we did the VFT from Helsinki to St Petersburg - now that is evocative. The border crossing, the fences and no mans land put you right back in the time of the Cold War. Similarly the trains from Budapest to Vienna and Warsaw to Berlin reminded you of how much has changed since the wall came downm. It reminded me of the story told by my wife's Aunt when they "accident;ly" crossed the Austria/Hungary border by train back in the 70s. The Hungarian border officials were apparently very polite and so concerned for her and a friends welfare that they kept a guard outside the compartment until they could arrange to repatriate them.

 

[BNEFlyer]

I've just booked the Kuranda Scenic Railway for next month. Not as exotic as a European or NZ journey, but should still be nice. Tried to get the Spirit of Queensland back from Cairns but she's booked solid!

 

[UP4014]

I've just booked the Kuranda Scenic Railway for next month. Not as exotic as a European or NZ journey, but should still be nice. Tried to get the Spirit of Queensland back from Cairns but she's booked solid!

A train and tourist trip in the far north.

Tours - Savannahlander

OUR TOURS

savannahlander.com.au

 

[UP4014]

Once of the great day trips by train is the Durango and Silverton in Colorado, build by the Rio Grande for the gold and silver town Silverton and a tourist railway for 100 years winds its way on a route only accessible by train.

Travel on board one of their palour cars.

https://flic.kr/p/efGbWA

https://flic.kr/p/efFX2W

https://flic.kr/p/efAhD6

https://flic.kr/p/2fmKUkF

 

[trooper]

The Durango to Silverton is excellent (Ive done it twice) but there is a lesser known (well..it was to ME! lol) ) one in New Mexico that is very very good too. The "coughbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad" between Chama and Antonita.

 

[Port Power]

I’ve been watching the program from the beginning (as well as Michael Portillo’s rail journeys in several countries), but it now appears they just won’t be able to cover all the scenic rail journeys as mentioned on this thread. More to add to the bucket list.

 

[BNEFlyer]

I’ve been watching the program from the beginning (as well as Michael Portillo’s rail journeys in several countries), but it now appears they just won’t be able to cover all the scenic rail journeys as mentioned on this thread. More to add to the bucket list.

He's done so many journeys! Though sometimes I would like to see more of the actual train journey than what he's doing at each stop.

 

[BriarFlyer]

I so agree about MP, BNEFlyer. One of the reasons I am enjoying the scenic railways show is that the narrator is off camera and the scenery and the trains themselves are the stars. Bill Nighy's voice is easy to listen to as well.

We were forward planning Bavaria-Switzerland-Austria by rail in 2021 but have put that on hold. Perhaps 2022.

 

[mel-world]

I just love railways and managed three excellent journeys in Switzerland during the one holiday in Europe in 2017. We started in Italy with the Bernina Experss, spent Easter in a little village in the Alps, Filisur (not far from Davos) so I could take photos of the Landwasser Viaduct. We then took the Glacier Express as far as Brig and onward to Montreux. Finally we took the Golden Pass line to Innsbruck and a day later onto Lucern. All done with a three country Eurail Pass (First) and limited surcharges, especially on the Glacier Express.

Bernina Express




Filisur



Landwasser Viaduct

 

[mel-world]

Glacier Express (above arriving at Filisur Station)



Montreux in Spring



Golden Pass - When I went to Montreux Station the day before to book seats, the ticket seller said we could sit below the driver for a small surcharge; well worth the price to the views below, despite reflections off the windows.

 

[Peter D]

oh wow - I read a lot of Agatha Christie when they caught the train between England and France and that's what I'd like to do but nothing doing there

All a moot point at the moment anyway

I remember traveling London to Paris on the Night Ferry Sleeper train 1977 when I took my wife to be to meet my parents England. (The service stopped in1980)

The classic “Agatha Christie novel” French style wagon-lits carriages lined up at Victoria. I managed to wake up at Dover to observe the train boarding the Ferry. Arrived in Paris early in the morning alongside the latest modern TGVs.

The things we did in those days. We were traveling to Italy so “did Paris” in a day ad took the night train on to Milan sitting up, All though it was in First class, after the ticket inspector had gone past all the standees in the corridor crowded in, so our plan A to stretch out in our exclusive compartment didn’t work.

This year I worked out a great itinerary and had most of the bookings made to spend a week getting from Avignon to Northern Holland via Glacier express, Bernina express and the scenic route along the Rhine from Basel to Cologne.

But Covid put a stop to that.

Man in seat 61 gave me some good tips as always. You can pay the Glacier and Bernina supplements and reserve the seats separately before you buy the Swiss rail pass or tickets.

He also explains how to force the DB web site give the Rhine alternative to the high speed route by selecting a zero minute stopover at another city, such as Koblenz (you then stay on the same train).

Hopefully we can resurrect it next year. In fact after seeing the programme on the Swiss trains last week we will definitely be going.

 

[CaptJCool]

The Durango to Silverton is excellent (Ive done it twice) but there is a lesser known (well..it was to ME! lol) ) one in New Mexico that is very very good too. The "coughbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad" between Chama and Antonita.

Well that trip could be started from Alamosa Colorado going a short distance with modern PAX cars before joining the steam engine.

I’ve done that trip gosh a decade ago

A magnetic souvenir

 

[UP4014]

The Durango to Silverton is excellent (Ive done it twice) but there is a lesser known (well..it was to ME! lol) ) one in New Mexico that is very very good too. The "coughbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad" between Chama and Antonita.

The coughbres and Toltec is a real step back in time to the Denver Rio Grand and Western in its glory. It’s great but takes a bit more organising to enjoy and I highly recommend it if you can forgo a few comforts as they try to recreate the late 1800’s.

https://flic.kr/p/GzJ4Fe

https://flic.kr/p/ZrdNfj

 

[Disco]

There is indeed still a train ferry to ride in Europe. The ferry from Rødby in Denmark to Puttgarden in Germany unfortunately lost its trains last year.

The Berlin Night Express from Berlin to Malmö, an overnighter by ferry from Sassnitz to Trelleborg, but only in midsummer, has been resurrected the last couple of years. Unfortunately, Stena line has suggested the Sassnitz-Trelleborg ferry is kaput post covid, and it’s unclear what the alternative route will be.

And of course ferry is the only way by train to Sicily, and for the time being the only remaining train ferry. Here’s a pic of an intercity split in two and parked in the bowels of a ferry from Messina to Villa San Giovanni. The actual ferry trip is only 20 minutes, but with all the the shunting the total time from arriving one side to leaving the other is nearly two hours.
(Edited to include the bad news)
cheers skip
View attachment 228498

this is a great thread and good to know about the Aus/NZ trains as we probably wont be able to get to the others for a while. We travelled on the Feve - thanks to Seat 61 - a couple of years ago. It was a very fun way to travel, back in time complete with man in hat with flags and whistles at the station (from LLanes). We had to wait with the locals to see which side of the station the train came in and then we all rushed over. The little towns along the north of Spain are worth visiting: we went to Camillas and a house/mansion with furniture designed by Gaudi with visitors but without the masses of tourists found in Barcelona.

 

[OZDUCK]

this is a great thread and good to know about the Aus/NZ trains as we probably wont be able to get to the others for a while. We travelled on the Feve - thanks to Seat 61 - a couple of years ago. It was a very fun way to travel, back in time complete with man in hat with flags and whistles at the station (from LLanes). We had to wait with the locals to see which side of the station the train came in and then we all rushed over. The little towns along the north of Spain are worth visiting: we went to Camillas and a house/mansion with furniture designed by Gaudi with visitors but without the masses of tourists found in Barcelona.

"The Man in Seat 61" is source of information who seems to be well respected worldwide. He is recommended in TripAdvisor Forums in many countries. I have used his advice for booking trains in Spain and it was was excellent. I was also using him for my aborted Germany/Czech Republic trip.