Home - Travel Tips - 16 Best Train Journeys: The World’s Most Beautiful Journeys
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Home - Travel Tips - 16 Best Train Journeys: The World’s Most Beautiful Journeys
If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.
We link to affiliated partners at no extra cost to you.
There are train journeys, and then there are train journeys that become the experience itself. Forget chasing a checklist of destinations — these 16 routes invite you to slow down, savor the landscapes, and immerse yourself in the stories unfolding outside your window. From champagne receptions aboard the British Pullman to the sweeping vistas of the Glacier Express, each journey is less about where you’re going and more about how it feels to get there. And with the right luggage bags by your side, you can travel stress-free, ready to embrace every moment of the adventure.
On a pleasant guided train journey, take in the views of Canada’s Rocky Mountain National Parks. Learn about Yoho, Jasper, Icefield, and Banff. Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Emerald Lake, and more will leave you in amazement. To reach the Columbia Icefield, travel along Icefield Parkway. Take a skywalk on the Athabasca Glacier and a snow coach ride. Discover Yoho’s rock cliffs and waterfalls as well as Jasper’s picturesque lakes and canyons.
Suggested Read: Moraine Lake, A hidden gem in Canada.
Many adventurous travelers now look forward to taking the fabled railway, which is 9,289 kilometers (5,772 miles) long and covers seven time zones. It’s the longest railway in the world and took twenty-five years to build. No wonder it’s a bucket list item for many tourists. This is a sleeper train that takes 50 hours to complete the journey. Departure times vary depending on the season. Onboard facilities include private cabins, a restaurant car, and a lounge car. You’ll pass through vast landscapes, dense forests, and snowy mountains.
This is a daylight-only train that takes eight hours to complete the journey. Onboard facilities include panoramic windows, comfortable seating, and a restaurant car. You’ll travel through the Swiss Alps and pass by picturesque villages and stunning mountain scenery. Taking the train from Zermatt to St Moritz is a great way to travel.
Suggested Read: Nothing beats the nostalgia of a train ride .. to somewhere…
Book your Swiss travel pass ahead of time
This is a daylight-only train that takes four hours to complete the journey. Onboard facilities include panoramic windows and comfortable seating. You’ll travel through the Swiss Alps, crossing the Bernina Pass and passing by glaciers, lakes, and picturesque villages.
This is a daylight-only train that takes five hours to complete the journey. Onboard facilities include comfortable seating and panoramic windows. You’ll travel through some of Scotland’s most rugged and beautiful landscapes, including Loch Lomond, Glenfinnan Viaduct, and the Isle of Skye.
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This is a sleeper train that takes two days to complete the journey. Onboard facilities include private cabins, a restaurant car, and a lounge car. You’ll pass through the Australian outback, the Flinders Ranges, and Katherine Gorge.
This is a luxury sleeper train that takes 27 hours to complete the journey between Cape Town and Pretoria. Onboard facilities include private suites, a dining car, and a lounge car. You’ll travel through the beautiful landscapes of South Africa, including the grasslands of the Highveld and the vineyards of the Cape.
This is a luxury sleeper train that takes two days to complete the journey. Onboard facilities include private cabins, a dining car, and a lounge car. You’ll pass through some of Scotland’s most stunning landscapes, including the Highlands and the Isle of Skye.
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This is a daylight-only train that takes five hours to complete the journey. Onboard facilities include panoramic windows and comfortable seating. You’ll travel through the Southern Alps and pass by breathtaking landscapes, including the Waimakariri River and Arthur’s Pass.
This is a daylight-only train that takes one hour to complete the journey. Onboard facilities include panoramic windows and comfortable seating. You’ll travel through the stunning Norwegian fjords, passing by waterfalls, mountains, and breathtaking landscapes.
This is a luxury sleeper train that takes four days to complete the journey. Onboard facilities include private cabins, a dining car, and a lounge car. You’ll travel through India’s most iconic destinations, including the Taj Mahal Jaipur, and Mumbai. The train is decorated in a luxurious and opulent style, making the journey feel like a royal experience.
Suggested Read: Maharajas’ Express. The world’s leading luxury train in India.
This is a luxury sleeper train that takes two days to complete the journey. Onboard facilities include private cabins, a dining car, and a lounge car. You’ll travel through the stunning Andes Mountains, passing by Inca ruins, traditional villages, and snow-capped peaks.
Suggested Read: The Best of Arequipa on a 3-day vacation.
This is a daylight-only train that takes five hours to complete the journey. Onboard facilities include panoramic windows and comfortable seating. You’ll travel along the rugged New Zealand coastline, passing by vineyards, beaches, and stunning mountain landscapes.
Another one of The World’s 15 Most Picturesque Train Journeys, is again from Belmond.
Step aboard this luxurious sleeper train for a two-day journey of indulgence. Stay in private cabins, dine in style in the elegant dining car, and unwind in the plush lounge car. Travel through Europe’s breathtaking landscapes, from the majestic Swiss Alps to the picturesque Italian Dolomites.
The winter journey extends from Paris to Albertville, Moûtiers, and Bourg-St.-Maurice. Here, you can continue to premier ski destinations like Megève and Chamonix-Mont-Blanc; Courchevel and the Three Valleys; and Tignes-Val d’Isère.
This is a sleeper train that takes eight hours to complete the journey. Onboard facilities include private cabins and a lounge car. You’ll travel through the rugged Scottish landscapes, including the Cairngorms National Park and the stunning Loch Lomond.
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When you board at London Victoria, you step straight into restored 1920s–30s Pullman carriages—gleaming wood, Art Deco details, the whole golden-age mood. A sparkling Bellini lands in your hand as the train eases out, then a three-course silver-service brunch appears like magic. By midday, you’re in Bath, with several hours to roam. Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage city, famous for its Roman Baths, Georgian crescents, and charming streets. Come evening, it’s a champagne reception back on board, followed by a four-course gourmet dinner with sommelier-selected wines—a proper finale to a day that treats the journey as the main event.
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And there you have it—16 of the world’s most breathtaking train journeys, each one offering its own blend of scenery, culture, and unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re dreaming of the Swiss Alps, the Scottish Highlands, or the golden-age glamour of the British Pullman, these trips prove that sometimes the journey really is the destination.
💬 Now it’s your turn! Have you ever taken one of these trains, or do you have another favorite rail adventure to recommend? Share your thoughts in the comments below—we’d love to hear your stories and tips.
If you’re looking for more train adventures—maybe not as glamorous, but still full of charm—here are a few more worth adding to your travel list.
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