topic Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train in Travel

The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

World Traveler — Mon, 22 May 2017 00:04:09 GMT

Many of you know that my favorite travel writer is Hristina Byrnes of The Active Times. Here is her list of places she feels are the best for train traveling. Have any of you taken one of these rides? It is on my bucket list to do the Orient Express.

Across Goriska Brda, Slovenia – 3 hours aboard a vintage train
Coastal Pacific, New Zealand
Haputale to Ella, Sri Lanka
Danube Express to Transylvania
Napa Valley Wine Train, California
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, North Carolina
White Pass and Yukon Railroad, Canada and the U.S. – At one point you will go 3,000 feet in just 20 miles and through cliff-hanging turns of 16 degrees
Trans-Siberian Railway Across Russia – longest continuous railway in the world. The trip is about 6,000 miles and will take a week, if not longer. You stop to see Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world.
Trans-Canada Railway Through the Rockies – This is a 12-day tour through five of the country’s provinces, starting in Vancouver.
Glacier Express Through the Swiss Alps – This is an 8-hour trip.
Flam Railway Through Norwegian Fjords – One of the steepest train lines in the world. Almost 80 percent of the journey has a gradient of 5.5 percent.
The Orient Express – most famous train in the world, inaugurated in 1883. A classic trip is from Venice through the Alps to Paris and on to London.
New York City to Rutland, Vermont – This trip is about 240 miles, takes six hours to reach the final destination. You will see the Catskills of New York and the Green Mountain in Vermont.
Eugene, Oregon to Vancouver, British Columbia
Chicago to Emeryville, California – takes you through the heart of the Rockies and through the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas.
The Ghan Expedition Through Australia – This is a four-day, 9,773-mile tour to the most remote part of Australia.

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

Kachina624 — Mon, 22 May 2017 00:09:35 GMT

White Pass and Yukon Railroad, Canada and the U.S. – At one point you will go 3,000 feet in just 20 miles and through cliff-hanging turns of 16 degrees

If this is the train out of Skagway, AK., I have taken it.

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

Colinka — Mon, 22 May 2017 00:40:29 GMT

I want to take the Blue Train from CapeTown to Johannesburg, South Africa. I hear it is as elegant as the Orient Express.

http://www.bluetrain.co.za/

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

patbz — Mon, 22 May 2017 00:52:39 GMT

Been on many trains in Europe, England, US, China, Japan and Korea. Love trains; my absolute favorite is train from London to Paris, under English Channel.

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

Mz iMac — Mon, 22 May 2017 00:52:59 GMT

@Colinka wrote:
I want to take the Blue Train from CapeTown to Johannesburg, South Africa. I hear it is as elegant as the Orient Express.
http://www.bluetrain.co.za/

I did-twice! Best way to see South Africa.

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

Colinka — Mon, 22 May 2017 01:00:08 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
@Colinka wrote:
I want to take the Blue Train from CapeTown to Johannesburg, South Africa. I hear it is as elegant as the Orient Express.
http://www.bluetrain.co.za/

I did-twice! Best way to see South Africa.

Thanks! I've been to South Africa, so I know it's beautiful there. My daughter lives in Johannesburg.

I also want to take the train that takes you up to Macchu Picchu, Peru. (sp?)

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

World Traveler — Mon, 22 May 2017 11:10:51 GMT

@Colinka I've taken the train from Cusco to Machu Picchu. What a wonderful way to go! At several of the spots along the way you get to see the old trail and backpackers slowing making their way to the top. Train was very crowded, but nice scenery when you get such great glimpses of the Andes with snow on them. Brings back fond memories.

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

proudlyfromNJ — Mon, 22 May 2017 13:22:46 GMT

We're thinking of doing the Napa Valley Wine Train this year. I'm getting tired of traveling as I get older. We'll see if husband can get me on a plane!

Did the Orient Express back in very early seventies with first husband. He was in the service near Istanbul at the time. We wanted to see Europe but had less than a shoestring budget. Took a flight to somewhere in Europe and got on the train to Paris. Spent two nights on the train thru the Alps. I woke up one morning to the countryside in France and was so impressed with the beauty. This was the first time I had traveled outside of the US.

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

software — Mon, 22 May 2017 14:10:02 GMT

I love trains!

@World Traveler

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

designista — Mon, 22 May 2017 14:42:31 GMT

What an intereesting thread! Thank you for the list. I've done the White Pass & Yukon twice, the Glacier Express in the Alps so many years ago that it is no longer fresh in my memory, and the Eugene, OR to Vancouver last year. Even the portion from Seattle or Everett,WA to Vancouver is worth the ride as it follows right on the coastline for magnificent views while the highway is inland with no views at all. The train was very comfortable and the WA to Vancouver section was only about $35 for reserved seat. The trip was so enjoyable that train travel has been on my mind. So, thank you and I've copied your list.

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

Vivian — Mon, 22 May 2017 18:23:11 GMT

The TGV In France is the most wonderful high speed train. You can go from one end of the country to another in just a few hours. I have traveled via TGV many times. I wish we had a comparable transportation system. There are some things that other countries do far better than we do.

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

ALRATIBA — Mon, 22 May 2017 18:32:49 GMT

I travelled across the US (from CA to NY) on Amtrak (get a sleeper) and frequently (couple of times a year) take the train down to WDC and then another out to WV.

When we went to Italy, we flew into Milan for a couple of days and then took the train to Florence (couple of days)... Venice (couple of days) ... Rome (couple of days).

We picked up a car in Rome for a few days then to Latina to visit friends and relatives... then Naples and Pompeii ... and took the overnight car ferry to Sicily ... drove all over Sicily for a week ... flew back to Rome and then home!

Italy was "trains, planes and automobiles."

The advantage of train travel is that you end up in the heart of the City ... unlike airports where you have to take a taxi into town. Arriving in Venice by train is fab - an unforgettable sight! The Canal is right outside!

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

Kachina624 — Mon, 22 May 2017 20:09:01 GMT

I've ridden a number of the "tourist" trains in the US and think the best, most spectacular is the Durango & Silverton out of Durango, CO. It roughly follows the track of the famous Million Dollar Highway (US 550) through the San Juan Mts. to the old mining town of Silverton, set in a "bowl" at a high altitude. In September when the Aspens are yellow, it's a jaw-dropping trip. It's a narrow gage railroad still using a cute little steam engine. Both Silverton and Durango are nice towns to visit with many shops and galleries to browse. Lots of places nearby to explore.

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

Drythe — Wed, 24 May 2017 01:15:26 GMT

Really like train travel, it is so relaxing!

Have traveled:

Danube Express to Transylvania
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, North Carolina (home sweet home!)
White Pass and Yukon Railroad, Canada and the U.S
Trans-Canada Railway Through the Rockies

The Orient Express – most famous train in the world, inaugurated in 1883. A classic trip is from Venice through the Alps to Paris and on to London. ON MY BUCKET LIST!

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

ZoetheCat — Wed, 24 May 2017 02:19:02 GMT

@ALRATIBA wrote:
I travelled across the US (from CA to NY) on Amtrak (get a sleeper) and frequently (couple of times a year) take the train down to WDC and then another out to WV.

When we went to Italy, we flew into Milan for a couple of days and then took the train to Florence (couple of days)... Venice (couple of days) ... Rome (couple of days).

We picked up a car in Rome for a few days then to Latina to visit friends and relatives... then Naples and Pompeii ... and took the overnight car ferry to Sicily ... drove all over Sicily for a week ... flew back to Rome and then home!

Italy was "trains, planes and automobiles."

The advantage of train travel is that you end up in the heart of the City ... unlike airports where you have to take a taxi into town. Arriving in Venice by train is fab - an unforgettable sight! The Canal is right outside!

I completely agree with you regarding the train to Venice. I will never forget walking down the stairs at the train station with the Grand Canal directly in front of us. I literally could have cried it was so incredible. Venice was one of those places that was actually better than I could have have imagined. Truly magical.

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

ZoetheCat — Wed, 24 May 2017 02:22:20 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
I've ridden a number of the "tourist" trains in the US and think the best, most spectacular is the Durango & Silverton out of Durango, CO. It roughly follows the track of the famous Million Dollar Highway (US 550) through the San Juan Mts. to the old mining town of Silverton, set in a "bowl" at a high altitude. In September when the Aspens are yellow, it's a jaw-dropping trip. It's a narrow gage railroad still using a cute little steam engine. Both Silverton and Durango are nice towns to visit with many shops and galleries to browse. Lots of places nearby to explore.

Oh, how I wish we had taken the train from Durango to Silverton. Instead, we drove the Million Dollar Highway and nearly died of freight. My husband, who was driving, has a problem with heights and it was nerve racking. We finally turned around half way to Silverton. Quite a memory, and not in a good way!

Re: The Absolute Best Places to Travel by Train

CHIP62 — Sat, 27 May 2017 04:35:45 GMT

I love high speed trains. My favorite is the Shinkansen, 320km/h is a lot of miles per hour!🌻