There's something about a train journey that no other form of travel can replicate. The slow reveal of a mountain range through a panoramic window, the rhythm of the tracks as you move through a country at human speed, the freedom to watch the world change outside your window without the stress of a runway or a highway. Train travel at its best isn't just a way to get somewhere – it's the destination itself.
Some routes have become legendary for good reason. They pass through landscapes so dramatic they feel cinematic, connect cities steeped in culture and history, or offer on-board experiences that make you want the journey to last longer. Whether you're a seasoned traveller or planning your first major rail adventure, these are the ten train journeys that genuinely live up to the hype.
The Trans-Siberian Railway, Russia
The Glacier Express, Switzerland
The Rocky Mountaineer, Canada
The Bernina Express, Switzerland / Italy
The Indian Pacific, Australia
The Palace on Wheels, India
The Caledonian Sleeper, Scotland
The TranzAlpine, New Zealand
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Europe
The Ghan, Australia
The world's longest railway journey – 9,289 kilometres across an entire continent.
If you've ever wanted to understand the sheer scale of the world, the Trans-Siberian will recalibrate your sense of geography permanently. Running from Moscow to Vladivostok in Russia's Far East, this route crosses eight time zones, the Ural Mountains, the vast Siberian taiga, and the edge of Lake Baikal – the world's deepest and oldest freshwater lake.
The full journey takes around 6 to 7 days without stops, though most travellers break it up at key cities along the route: Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, and Ulan-Ude are popular overnight stops. The train itself is a social experience as much as a scenic one – you share compartments with Russian families, long-distance travellers, and fellow adventurers, and there's a dining car that becomes a gathering point for conversations that cross language barriers surprisingly well.
Two branches split from the main route: the Trans-Mongolian, which detours through Mongolia and Beijing, and the Trans-Manchurian, which heads through northeastern China. Both add layers of cultural richness to what is already one of the most transformative travel experiences on earth.
Best for: Adventurers, slow travellers, and anyone who wants to experience genuine immersion across multiple cultures and landscapes.
Key tip: Book a 2nd class "kupe" compartment (4-berth) rather than the cheapest platzkart (open dormitory) if you want a balance of affordability and privacy. Stock up on food at platform kiosks – they're a highlight in themselves.
The world's slowest express train – and proud of it.
The Glacier Express runs between Zermatt and St. Moritz through the heart of the Swiss Alps, covering 291 kilometres over about 8 hours. The name is a gentle joke – it's called an express train because it runs a direct route, not because it's in a hurry. And that's exactly the point. The entire journey is designed to be savoured.
The route passes through 91 tunnels, crosses 291 bridges, and reaches its highest point at the Oberalp Pass at 2,033 metres above sea level. Panoramic windows on the carriages – floor to ceiling, angled to capture the sky above the mountain peaks – mean there's no such thing as a bad seat. The landscape shifts from the iconic Matterhorn backdrop near Zermatt to the rolling Graubünden valleys and eventually the glamorous resort town of St. Moritz.
On-board dining is part of the experience. A three-course meal served in the panoramic restaurant car, with white-tablecloth service and Swiss wine, while the Alps scroll past the windows is one of those travel moments that gets retold for years.
Best for: Couples, luxury travellers, and anyone who wants world-class scenery without having to hike for it.
Key tip: Book the Excellence Class for the premium dining and seating experience, or save money with 1st class if you're travelling on a Swiss Travel Pass, which covers the journey. Always book well in advance – this route fills up months ahead in peak summer and winter seasons.
Canada's most celebrated train journey through the spine of the Rockies.
The Rocky Mountaineer operates exclusively in daylight hours – a deliberate design decision so passengers never miss a moment of the scenery by sleeping through it. Running between Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies (with routes to Banff, Lake Louise, and Jasper), this privately operated luxury train is built entirely around the view.
The SilverLeaf and GoldLeaf service tiers both feature dome-style observation carriages with floor-to-ceiling glass roofs. You watch bald eagles overhead, grizzly bears grazing at river bends, and the Fraser Canyon walls rising to hundreds of metres on either side of the tracks. The train passes through Hell's Gate – one of the most dramatic gorges in North America – and climbs through terrain that originally took years to blast and build through during Canada's railroad construction era.
The GoldLeaf service includes open-air observation platforms where you can step outside and feel the mountain air while the landscape moves around you. Meals are prepared fresh on board using local Canadian ingredients, and the service standard is genuinely impressive.
Best for: Nature lovers, photographers, and couples looking for a bucket-list experience without roughing it.
Key tip: The First Passage to the West route (Vancouver to Banff) is the most popular. Travel in late September for dramatic fall colours with fewer crowds than the peak summer season.
A UNESCO World Heritage route through some of the most dramatic Alpine scenery on earth.
The Bernina Express runs between Chur in Switzerland and Tirano in northern Italy, crossing the Bernina Pass at 2,253 metres – the highest point crossed by any non-rack railway in the Alps. The route is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised not just for its landscapes but for the extraordinary feat of engineering it represents.
The most famous section is the Brusio spiral viaduct – a circular stone bridge that loops the train around itself to manage the steep descent, and looks from above like something from a model railway. The views from the Bernina Pass itself are genuinely breathtaking: glaciers on both sides, high Alpine lakes, and a landscape that looks completely untouched above the treeline.
Unlike the Glacier Express, the Bernina Express is relatively affordable – a standard ticket is a fraction of the cost of premium Swiss rail products, and a Swiss Travel Pass covers it at no additional charge. The journey takes around 4 hours, making it a manageable day trip from Zurich or St. Moritz.
Best for: Budget-conscious travellers who still want world-class Alpine scenery, and anyone combining a Swiss and Italian itinerary.
Key tip: Sit on the left side of the train travelling from Chur to Tirano for the best views of the Bernina Glacier. The Panorama carriages have larger windows and are worth the small upgrade.
Four days, four time zones, and the longest straight stretch of railway track in the world.
The Indian Pacific runs between Sydney on Australia's east coast and Perth on the west coast, covering 4,352 kilometres across the full width of the continent. It crosses the Blue Mountains, the vast red emptiness of the Nullarbor Plain, and the goldfields of Western Australia before arriving at the Indian Ocean.
The Nullarbor section is what makes this journey unlike anything else. The Nullarbor Plain is one of the largest flat, treeless regions on earth – and the railway crosses it in a straight line for 478 kilometres without a single curve. Watching the same flat red horizon scroll past for hours is hypnotic, meditative, and strangely moving. It gives you a visceral sense of just how vast and empty the Australian interior actually is.
On-board accommodation ranges from a basic seat through to private Gold kangaroo twin cabins with en-suite facilities. Meals in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant are included with the higher service tiers, and the train stops at Broken Hill, Cook (a fascinating ghost town), and Kalgoorlie for off-train excursions.
Best for: Solo adventurers, bucket-list travellers, and anyone who wants to genuinely understand the Australian continent.
Key tip: Book the Platinum service for the most comfortable long-haul experience. The journey sells out well in advance, particularly for the private cabin classes.
A rolling five-star hotel through the royal heartland of Rajasthan.
India's Palace on Wheels is one of the world's most celebrated luxury trains, running a weekly circuit through Rajasthan's most iconic destinations: Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ranthambore, and the Taj Mahal at Agra. The train operates on a fixed 7-night itinerary, with daytime excursions at each stop and evenings spent back on board in extraordinary surroundings.
The carriages are named after the former royal states of Rajasthan and decorated accordingly – ornate woodwork, rich fabrics, hand-painted details, and private cabins that reflect the opulence of the maharaja era. Each cabin has its own name, attached to the heritage of the state it represents. The on-board restaurants serve Rajasthani, Mughlai, and continental cuisine, and the bar carriage is a genuine gathering space each evening.
What makes the Palace on Wheels special is the combination of the train itself with the stops. Arriving at Jaisalmer by private train and being transferred directly to a camel safari, or watching the sunrise over the Taj Mahal as part of a curated on-train excursion, is a very different experience from doing the same stops independently.
Best for: Luxury travellers, couples celebrating milestones, and anyone who wants an immersive introduction to Rajasthan without the logistical complexity of independent travel.
Key tip: The train runs from October to March only, during India's cooler tourist season. Book 6–12 months in advance for the best cabin selection.
Falling asleep in London and waking up in the Scottish Highlands.
The Caledonian Sleeper is one of Britain's most atmospheric train journeys – and one of the last overnight sleeper services still operating on the UK rail network. Departing London Euston late in the evening, the train splits at Edinburgh or Carstairs, with carriages heading to Inverness, Aberdeen, Fort William, and other Highland destinations. You wake up to Highland scenery appearing outside your cabin window as the train moves through Perthshire, the Cairngorms, and the Great Glen.
The Fort William branch is widely regarded as the most scenic. The final section from Glasgow to Fort William passes Rannoch Moor – one of the most desolate, beautiful stretches of moorland in Europe – and runs along the banks of Loch Lomond before climbing into the Highlands. This section in the morning light, with mist sitting over the glens, is genuinely memorable.
The Caledonian Sleeper's upgraded Club Rooms offer private cabins with en-suite shower facilities, a proper bed rather than a fold-down berth, and a lounge car. It's not the Orient Express, but for getting from London to the Highlands overnight in real comfort, it works beautifully.
Best for: Anyone travelling from London to Scotland who wants to skip the flight, save a hotel night, and arrive somewhere genuinely wild.
Key tip: Book the Club Room for the private cabin experience. If you're on a budget, the Caledonian Berths (shared facilities) are still comfortable and far better than a standard train seat overnight.
The most dramatic crossing of the Southern Alps – in under five hours.
New Zealand's TranzAlpine runs between Christchurch on the east coast and Greymouth on the west coast of the South Island, crossing the Southern Alps through Arthur's Pass. The journey covers 223 kilometres and takes about 4.5 hours, packing an extraordinary variety of landscapes into a half-day trip: the Canterbury Plains, beech forest, alpine river gorges, the Otira Viaduct, and the dramatic Waimakariri River valley.
The open-air viewing carriage is the highlight. You can step out between the carriages and stand outside on the open platform – feeling the temperature drop as the train climbs into the mountains, watching the landscape open up around you, and getting photos without glass in the way. It's one of those simple design choices that significantly upgrades the experience.
The TranzAlpine is operated by KiwiRail and is genuinely accessible – it's not a luxury product, but it doesn't need to be. The scenery does all the work. Many travellers use it as a one-way crossing and rent a car or take a bus back, allowing for exploration of the West Coast's glaciers and rainforest.
Best for: Travellers doing a South Island road trip, nature lovers, and families looking for a scenic day journey.
Key tip: Sit on the right side of the train travelling from Christchurch to Greymouth for the best views of the Waimakariri Gorge. Book direct through KiwiRail for the best prices.
The most iconic train in history – fully restored and still running.
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is as close as modern travel gets to stepping into a golden age. The carriages are original 1920s and 1930s stock, meticulously restored – hand-marquetry wooden panels, art deco lampshades, white linen tablecloths, and Lalique glass fixtures. The train runs various routes across Europe, with the classic journey connecting London and Venice via Paris, the Swiss Alps, and the Italian lakes.
Dinner on board is a three-course affair served by white-jacketed stewards in the original dining cars, accompanied by live piano music. Cabins range from classic single/twin sleeper compartments to the Grand Suite – a full double bed, private bathroom, and lounge area, decorated as a tribute to specific destinations on the route. The whole experience is theatrical in the best possible sense.
This is unambiguously a luxury product – prices for the London to Venice journey start at around £2,000 per person and go considerably higher for suites. But for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, few things in travel match the combination of history, design, cuisine, and scenery that the VSOE delivers.
Best for: Couples, milestone celebrations, and anyone for whom the journey is entirely the point.
Key tip: The bar car is open late and is the social heart of the train. Make time to spend an evening there rather than retiring to your cabin immediately after dinner – some of the best conversations of your trip will happen over a Negroni at 11pm with the Alps outside.
From the desert heart of Australia to the tropical north – in 54 hours.
Named after the Afghan cameleers who helped open up the Australian interior in the 19th century, The Ghan runs between Adelaide and Darwin through the red centre of the continent. The 2,979-kilometre journey takes 54 hours and passes through some of the most remote and ancient landscape on earth – the Flinders Ranges, the Simpson Desert, Alice Springs, Katherine Gorge, and eventually the tropical wetlands of the Northern Territory.
The Ghan is operated by Great Southern Rail and offers Platinum, Gold, and Red service tiers. Gold twin cabins are the most popular choice for the balance of comfort and cost – private sleeping cabin, meals in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant, and off-train excursions included. The Alice Springs stop allows for a 4-hour excursion that covers either Simpsons Gap or the Telegraph Station historic site, and the Katherine stop includes access to Katherine Gorge by boat.
What makes The Ghan feel different to the Indian Pacific (which also crosses the continent) is the sense of moving through living Indigenous country. The landscape around Alice Springs and Katherine is deeply connected to Arrernte and Jawoyn culture respectively, and the off-train experiences reflect that with guides who bring real depth to what you're seeing.
Best for: Travellers interested in Indigenous Australian history, vast landscapes, and long-haul train journeys done in style.
Key tip: The journey runs year-round but the dry season (May to September) is by far the most comfortable time to travel through the Northern Territory. Book 6+ months ahead for the popular Darwin-direction journey during peak season.
The best train journeys share one quality: they make you forget you're trying to get somewhere. Whether it's the Trans-Siberian rewiring your sense of scale, the Glacier Express making a meal service feel like an event, or the Ghan moving through country that has been inhabited for 65,000 years – these routes offer something that flights and motorways simply can't. You see the world at the speed it was meant to be seen.
If you're only going to do one, the choice comes down to what you're after. For pure scenery per hour, the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express are hard to beat. For adventure and immersion, the Trans-Siberian stands alone. For luxury, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is in a category of its own. And for sheer scale – the sense of a continent passing beneath you – nothing beats The Ghan or the Indian Pacific.
Do I need to book train journeys far in advance? For most of the journeys on this list, yes – especially in peak season. The Glacier Express, Rocky Mountaineer, and Venice Simplon-Orient-Express all sell out months in advance. The Trans-Siberian has more flexibility, but popular departure dates on the Moscow–Beijing route still fill up quickly. As a general rule, book as early as possible for anything that includes sleeper accommodation or a fixed departure date.
Are these journeys suitable for solo travellers? Most of them are excellent for solo travellers. The Trans-Siberian in particular has a strong solo travel culture – the communal nature of shared compartments makes it one of the best journeys for meeting people. The Palace on Wheels and Venice Simplon-Orient-Express attract more couples and groups, but solo travellers are welcomed and well catered for.
What's the best train journey for a tight budget? The Bernina Express is one of the most spectacular journeys on this list and one of the most affordable – especially if you already have a Swiss Travel Pass. The TranzAlpine in New Zealand is also excellent value, and the Caledonian Sleeper's berth class is reasonable compared to London hotel prices for the night it saves you.
Can I do these journeys as part of a longer trip? Absolutely. The Bernina Express works perfectly as a Switzerland-to-Italy crossing on a wider European itinerary. The Rocky Mountaineer connects naturally to a wider Canadian Rockies trip. The Trans-Siberian is often done as part of an overland journey between Europe and Asia. Most of these routes are designed to slot into a larger travel plan rather than standing entirely alone.
Are luxury trains worth the premium price? For the right traveller, yes. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Palace on Wheels, and Rocky Mountaineer GoldLeaf class aren't just transport – they're experiences in themselves. If you're celebrating something significant or you want a trip you'll still be talking about in 20 years, the premium is justified. If you're primarily interested in the scenery rather than the on-board experience, the more affordable options like the Bernina Express or TranzAlpine deliver equivalent visual drama at a fraction of the cost.
Rocky Mountaineer – Routes & Experiences: https://www.rockymountaineer.com/train-routes
Glacier Express – Official Route Information: https://www.glacierexpress.ch/en/the-glacier-express/the-route/
Lonely Planet – Trans-Siberian Railway Guide: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/trans-siberian-railway-guide
Great Southern Rail – The Ghan Journey: https://www.journeybeyondrail.com.au/our-journeys/the-ghan/
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express – Official Site: https://www.belmond.com/trains/europe/venice-simplon-orient-express/
India Tourism – Palace on Wheels: https://www.palaceonwheels.net
KiwiRail Scenic – TranzAlpine: https://www.kiwirailscenic.co.nz/tranzalpine/
UNESCO – Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina Landscapes: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1276/
Caledonian Sleeper – Cabins & Routes: https://www.sleeper.scot/our-cabins/
Great Southern Rail – Indian Pacific Journey: https://www.journeybeyondrail.com.au/our-journeys/indian-pacific/
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