The world's Top 25 train trips

[John Hunt]

http://www.vancouversun.com/world+tr...684/story.html

[Western SMT]

Interesting list and almost did the Glacier Express once but wife found out she would have to sit on the train for approx 8 hours so sad to say I have not been on any of the trains on the list.

[Midland Compound]

Too many "luxury hotels on wheels" in that list for my liking. What about some REAL train trips, with proper passengers ?!

[AlbertBCN]

That's true... a bit over the top most of them... I'm happy to see a Spanish one, though, El Transcantábrico, operated by FEVE, kind of the one metre gauge sister of RENFE. Not that I've ever been on that train, but I can tell you that landscapes around its route are gorgeus! And local food is, too.

Actually, that was in the news a few weeks ago in Spain, you bet we were pretty happy. There was another one of those luxury trains, around Andalucia, the Al-Andalus Expreso, but I'm not sure that one is still around.

Check the link: http://www.transcantabrico.feve.es/ ; one thing that I like is that in your 'suite' you'll find your own shower, since all the coaches have been completely restored.

Brochure (in English) here:

http://www.transcantabrico.feve.es/r...2008125822.pdf

Kind regards,

(By the way, I'm not a Feve's employee...

[klordger1900]

The thought of being pinned in a train with just one corrider for hours on end makes me shudder. I love trains, the depots and things that go clickety-clack and even talking to people about train things, but rubbing shoulders with small talkers so wrapped up in themselves, urrgh!! The thought is nostalgic but the real thing is very hard work!! Sorry if anyone else loves them, but I do cruises!

[AlbertBCN]

Well, I think the best thing to do is this: bring someone you enjoy being with with you (friend, partner or family), enjoy the ride, enjoy the cities and don't care about the rest of the world (that means, your fellow passengers)... after all, you don't need to worry about hotels or where to get your breakfast

If the train is not a luxury one, but an adventure, you can do the same... although you'll probably discover lots of things that are not included in guidebooks!

[DSY011]

When I was a kid we did a trip from Ndola in Zambia to Cape Town by train. Left Ndola at 19.00 and spent one day & two nights just to reach Bulawayo. at 07:30 in the morning. Left Bulawayo at 10:00 same day and spent two and a half days & two nights to get to Cape Town. From your remarks, I don't think you would enjoy that trip kolrdger1900. We still had the return trip to do. Just as well we were able to take up to 6 weeks holiday. In fact we were allowed to accumulate up to 6 months paid holiday, but by that time you would be burned out.

[klordger1900]

A working train trip like moving that loco from Bloemfontein to Durban would be ideal, no time to loll about just keep busy making sure the job gets done. I like to travel while I'm asleep and then spend all day exploring and come back knackered full of tales about where I've been, not laying about all day reading books, sipping wine and chatting over a cake or two at tea time - urrgh again! I like to find itineraries packed with places which have railway history be it trams or mining, docks or terminii. Its obviously not in the top 100 train trips, but the wooden train from Palma to Sollas, Mallorca is a good one.