What matters is the path of the journey and not the arrival. (T. S. Eliot). And nothing better than enjoying the ride on a train. This is the list of the 10 most spectacular train journeys in the world.
If you are in North America the California Zephyr is certainly the most spectacular choice for a train journey. It is a 3,924 km route between prairies, deserts, the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada. A connection between Chicago and San Francisco with spectacular views, especially if you are in the dining car which has huge windows.
It is the railway line that connects the North and South of Vietnam and is perfect for those who love slow travel. You will find yourself passing through historic cities, along stretches of breathtaking coasts and admiring landscapes surrounded by greenery. The route, 1726 km from Ho Chi Mihn City to Hanoi or vice versa, is daily but it takes about 2 days to complete it because the Reunification Express travels at 50 km per hour, so it is slower than an Italian regional train.
Do you know the famous Lake Titicaca? There is a railway line that starts from Puno, runs along the lake and crosses Peru to the capital Cuzco. You can enjoy the Andes, the valleys, the pristine plains and the llama farmers, sipping a cocktail or dining in the excellent restaurant on board. The 388 km are covered in about 10 hours, but be careful because the train only leaves 3 times a week.
If you love the cold and travel over 4000 km, this is what you are looking for. Baikal-Amur is less famous than its Trans-Siberian cousin but certainly holds the title of the largest construction project in the Soviet Union. A demanding journey of 4324 km that crosses remote landscapes and small villages where in winter the thermometer drops to -60 °. It starts from Tayshet and arrives in Sovetskaya Gavan, in about four days or so.
The Z21 train that leaves from Beijing to get to Lhasa is a real railway monster that climbs about 5,000 meters in 40 hours to get to the Tibetan plateau. The journey takes us from the chaotic and crowded Beijing to an enchanted world of peace and perfumes, where incense and prayers are the backdrop to a heavenly panorama. On board you can eat noodles and play cards with other travelers.
One of the most beautiful and scenic day trips in the world, of 223 km, which is located in New Zealand and has the characteristic of passing through different microclimates. It starts from Christchurch, descends into the Canterbury plains up into the southern Alps, and then exits between lakes, rivers and rainforests. In short, an adventure full of different scenarios that can only be enjoyed from the train in 4 and a half hours.
It is among the least known in the world but certainly among the most spectacular. It crosses the Zagros Mountains, flows between valleys and enters deep tunnels. An exciting journey in a bucolic setting, perfect for those who love wild and unspoiled nature. Every day the train leaves Andimeshk and arrives in Dorud in 7 hours maximum, covering 209 km.
A night train that will rock you from central London to the peaks of the Scottish Highlands. In 14 hours you travel 819 km, lulled by the constant noise of the rails, good food and the Single Malt. The spectacular awakening in front of the mountains can only conclude this journey perfectly.
Departure from Oslo and arrival in Bergen. The Bergensbanen is the train that explores Norwegian nature. Virtually unknown outside its country, this train travels 496 km in about 7 hours and gives you great emotions showing the beauty of Norwegian canyons, rivers and mountains, not to mention the great ice formations.
This 1860km journey from the Tanzanian port city to Kapiri Mposhi should take around 46 hours but the word here is “take it easy”, so the train often takes many hours to complete its route. However, this is not a problem, because the particularity is neither the landscape nor the possibility of seeing wild animals (there is a small possibility), but precisely the climate of calm.
FABIO MARCOMIN