Top 150 Best Train Travel News, Reviews and Services

Train Travel News, Reviews, Resources & Services

• 5 great Interrail itineraries across Europe - "Interrailing is an easy way to see the continent. We plot itineraries that cover the Med, the Alps and an affordable version of the Orient Express."
• 5 ways to improve your commute - "Talk to people, plan for disruption, walk if you can ... Follow these tips to make your journey as painless as possible."
• 6 amazing Asia train journeys for food, scenery & culture - "According to the 2021 Global Travel Trends survey of 3,000 travelers worldwide by American Express, 68% expressed interest in more sustainable travel; 78% said they were looking for travel experiences that relieve stress; and 61% said they wanted slower, longer trips than in the past. A train journey could be just the ticket for those who have their eyes on Asia for a 2022 trip."
• 10 greatest railway journeys in the world - The Telegraph.
• 10 iconic rail journeys you must do in your lifetime: in pictures - The Telegraph.
• 10 of Europe’s best rural train journeys - "Slow rail travel in beautiful landscapes is the joy of these branch lines, which don’t need to be booked in advance. Know a better one?"
• 10 of Europe's most beautiful train journeys 2022 - "It's where the 'flight shame' movement was born and no wonder - Europe is home to a superb rail network, including some truly spectacular journeys which are a vacation in themselves. Here are 10 of the most beautiful rides."
• 10 of Europe’s most scenic train journeys - "To kick off our new weekly Interrail competition, in which the writer of the best rail tip wins two first-class train passes worth up to £768, here’s our pick of Europe’s most scenic journeys."
• 10 of the best rail journeys you've probably never heard of - The Telegraph.
• 10 of the best scenic rail journeys in Europe - "Nothing quite beats the romance of travelling on a steam train or shunting through mountains. These rides showcase Europe’s spectacular landscapes."
• 10 of the greatest British rail journeys - The Telegraph.
• 20th Century Limited - express passenger train operated by the New York Central Railroad (NYC) from 1902 to 1967, during which time it would become known as a "National Institution" and advertised as "The Most Famous Train in the World".
• 25 greatest train journeys in the world - The Telegraph.
• $350M 'palace on rails' luxury train concept unveiled - "Various new trains and routes are currently in the pipeline, including Italy's "Dolce Vita train," set to run 10 routes through the country's most well-known landscapes, and Midnight Trains, an upcoming network of overnight services from Paris to 12 different European destinations. However, French designer Thierry Gaugain plans to take the rail travel experience to a completely new level with his latest concept, a private luxury train made to measure for one lucky, and very wealthy, owner."
• A 100-mile rail trip through the Himalayas - for just 42p - The Telegraph.
• A brief (but definitive) guide to train seat etiquette - "Emily Maitlis sparked outrage when she was spotted on a train with her dog on a seat. What other faux pas should you avoid?"
• A first look at the Orient Express trains that will return to Italy in 2023 - "The legendary rail service is making a big comeback, with six brand-new trains running all the way to Istanbul."
• A legacy of lunacy haunts Kenya's old railway. Will China's $3.6B line be different? - "Kenya took on huge debt to buy a modern railway from Beijing that it hopes will boost its economy ... despite the controversy it has attracted."
• A New Map for America - The New York Times.
• Across Kazakhstan by rail - a photo essay - " Photographer Mario Heller spent three weeks crossing the steppe by train. Here is his journey through the stories of the passengers, the history of the country and the romance of the railway."
• Apology after Japanese train departs 20 seconds early - BBC.
  
• At £307m per mile of track, can the cost of HS2 be justified? - "HS2 is one of the most controversial and costly rail projects of the modern era. There are strong views for and against – and Boris Johnson could decide its future as early as this week. Here, we look at the economic arguments against HS2."
• Basel to Locarno, the slow Swiss Alps classic - "Astonishing scenery and glimpses of Switzerland’s history are offered up to passengers gliding along this classic line."
• Because the night ... why I love a sleeper train - "Whether it’s Edinburgh, Vienna or Madrid, overnight rail travel is about romance and excitement. So look forward to new French night trains from 2024."
• best European sleeper trains - CNN travel.
• Best train journeys in the world ! - VroomVroomVroom Blog.
• Bordeaux by train: on the right line for wine - The Guardian.
• BULLET TRAIN - Wikipedia.
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• Bulletproof, Slow & Full of Wine: Kim Jong-un’s Mystery Train - The New York Times.
• Cab Ride Norway: Trondheim - BodØ (Spring) Nordland Line - YouTube (9:49:10).
• Chief - (1926-1968). One of the named passenger trains of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Its route ran from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California. The Chief was a success, dubbed "Extra Fast-Extra Fine-Extra Fare" though it failed to relieve traffic on the California Limited. The Chief became famous as a "rolling boudoir" for film stars and Hollywood executives.
• China debuts train prototype that can hit speeds of 620 kilometers per hour - "China has revealed a prototype for a new high-speed Maglev train that is capable of reaching speeds of 620 kilometers (385 miles) per hour. The train runs on high-temperature superconducting (HTS) power that makes it look as if the train is floating along the magnetized tracks."
• China debuts world's fastest train - "A maglev bullet train that can reach speeds of 600 kilometers per hour (373 miles per hour) has made its debut in Qingdao, China."
• China has the world's largest network of high-speed railways - "Past, present and future: The evolution of China's incredible high-speed rail network."
• China unveils 600km/h floating train - "China has unveiled the prototype for its sleek new magnetic levitation (maglev) train. Its makers say it will be capable of traveling at speeds of 600km/h (about 372 miles/hour)."
• CHRIS TARRANT: EXTREME RAILWAYS - Channel 5.
• Chris Tarrant: on board the world's extreme railways - The Telegraph.
• Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits - or just Wagons-Lits, is a division of Newrest particularly known for its on-train catering and sleeping car services, as well as being the historical operator of the Orient Express.
• Covid-19 reawakens Europe's sleeper trains - "Overnight services in Europe had seemingly hit the buffers but pandemic has revived demand."
• Europe's new train routes for 2022 - "What's the perfect accompaniment to Europe's gradual easing of its pandemic rules? A burgeoning international rail network for 2022. Meanwhile as more day trains are laid on across the continent, prices are falling. Italy's two high-speed networks are knocking out ever more fancy carriages to attract customers, while low-cost, high-speed trains have been rolled out in France and Spain."
• excruciating 22-hour train ride that changed my life - "My three-week, life-changing trip to China, which spurred a year of travel."
• Flying without wings: The world's fastest trains - "Until someone proves otherwise, high-speed rail is the most effective alternative to air travel for journeys of up to 1,100 kilometers (700 miles). Shuttling passengers between city centers at speeds of 290 kph (180 mph) or more, it offers a compelling combination of speed and convenience."
• France to ban some domestic flights where train available - "MPs vote to suspend internal flights if the trip can be completed by train within two and a half hours instead."
• France waves goodbye to sleeper trains - The Guardian.
• Georges Nagelmackers - (1845-1905). Was the founder of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, the company known for the Orient Express trains.
• Glacier Express - Wikipedia.
• Glass-bottomed panda train debuts in China - "On June 26, the capital of Sichuan province debuted the Zhongtang Air Railway, a sky train with a 'glass' bottom riders can see through. It has 270-degree visibility as the top is not transparent. Travelers who look at the train head-on will notice that it is painted to resemble a panda."
• Great Railway Journeys - (1980-1999). Travel documentaries produced by BBC Television.
• Haggis, whisky ... double beds: the new romance of the sleeper train - "The revamped service from London to Scotland hopes to revive the luxury and glamour of overnight train travel."
• Here's Why Kim Jong Un May Have Opted for an Arduous Train Journey to Reach Vietnam - "After a reported 60-hour trip, Kim Jong Un arrived at the railway station in Dong Dang, Vietnam for his summit with President Donald Trump."
• Heritage railway - Wikipedia.
• Homage to Spain’s railways: take the slow train for the best scenic routes - "Spain excels in high-speed lines, but visitors will discover so much more on older tracks winding through deserts, sierras, sleepy villages and George Orwell country."
• 'Hotels on rails': Plans for new network of European sleeper trains unveiled - "Just a few years ago, it looked as though European sleeper trains were on their way to becoming a thing of the past as services were continually cut back."
• How high-speed trains helped kill an airline - "How Italy's high-speed trains helped kill Alitalia."
• How Japan's Shinkansen bullet trains changed the world of rail travel - "Early on October 1, 1964, a sleek blue and white train slid effortlessly across the urban sprawl of Tokyo, its elevated tracks carrying it south toward the city of Osaka and a place in the history books."
• How to blag your way into first class with a standard train ticket - "After a British commuter took a stand against packed trains, here’s how to travel in style without getting escorted off by the transport police."
• How to Get the Most Out of a Vacation by Train - The New York Times.
• How Trans Europe Express trains could be making a comeback - "The trains that could transform Europe. Replaced by the patchy and somewhat less glamorous EuroCity brand in 1987, the stylish red and ivory TEE trains were a response to the growth of air travel and the private car in the late 1950s."
• hydrogen-powered trains - "As old diesel trains are phased out of rail networks around the world, the UK is about to test a new type of engine that could help to decarbonise railways - hydrogen-powered trains."
• Hyperloop, the superfast 'vacuum train,' is coming to China - CNN travel.
• India's 10 most magical train journeys - The Telegraph.
• How to make your commute more productive - The Guardian.
• 'I formed the 45 Metre Underground Club': Eurostar stories of sex, celebrity & speed - "From the route’s first driver to the passenger on a train that hit a wild boar: unforgettable memories from the first quarter-century of the cross-channel service."
• 'I never slept a wink': an ill-fated trip on the Caledonian Sleeper - "One of the relaunched train service’s customers explains why she will never use it again."
• I saw Scotland in a week - with an unlimited train ticket - "With a flexible and affordable rover pass (which also includes buses and ferries), our writer explores Scotland’s western isles, Highlands and cities."
• International Union of Railways | UIC - international rail transport industry body. Created on 20 October 1922, with the aim of standardising industry practices.
• Inside the upcoming Orient Express La Dolce Vita train - "Renderings of the 11-carriage train, which pays homage to the 'La Dolce Vita' period of the 1960s, have been unveiled, revealing a plush interior that looks more like a boutique hotel than a railway car."
• Inside The World’s First Private Luxury Train From Top Yacht Designer - "French designer Thierry Gaugain, best known for his yacht design collaborations with Philippe Starck, is working on an incredible new project. The G Train, the world’s first private luxury train takes the decadence of great trains like the Orient Express one step further as it is designed for a single owner. Mr Gaugain says, 'it's not a public train or a passenger train.' And it comes with a hefty price tag as the estimated cost of the train is more than $350 million."
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• 'Invisible' train set to roll in 2018 - CNN Travel.
• Is Richard Branson’s & Elon Musk's high-speed train in a pneumatic tube pie in the sky? - The Guardian.
• Is this the most luxurious train on Earth? Train Suite Shiki-Shima is finally revealed - The Telegraph.
• Is this the world's most luxurious new train? - "Our exclusive first look aboard Japan's spectacular Shiki-shima."
• Italy to run luxury 'Dolce Vita' sleeper train - "The 'Dolce Vita train' is set to run 10 routes through Italy's most famous landscapes, in historic trains with retro luxury, Dolce Vita-era fittings. The itineraries will cover 14 of Italy's 20 regions, and reach 128 cities, covering 10,000 miles of tracks from north to south. Itineraries will range from one to three nights."
• Japan begins testing the world's fastest bullet train - "It could reach 249 miles per hour."
• Japan debuts new safer, faster bullet train - "Japan debuts new bullet train that can run during an earthquake."
• Japan reveals a ‘Supreme’ version of its bullet train - The Verge.
• Japan’s maglev train sets world speed record at 590 kph - on April 16, 2015. The Japan Times.
• List of heritage railways - Wikipedia.
• Lists of named passenger trains - Wikipedia.
• Lunatic Express - the Uganda Railway faced a great deal of criticism in Parliament, with many parliamentarians decrying it as exorbitantly expensive. Whilst the concept of cost-benefit analysis did not exist in public spending at in the Victorian Era, the huge capital sums of the project nevertheless made many sceptical of the value of the investment. This, coupled with the fatalities and wastage of the personnel constructing it through disease, tribal activity, and hostile wildlife and led the Uganda Railway to be dubbed a Lunatic Line.
• Luxury rail in India - Wikipedia.
• Luxury Train Club - "Your concierge for luxury train travel."
• Luxury train hotel permanently stuck on a bridge - "South Africa luxury hotel invites guests to sleep on a train permanently parked on a bridge."
• LUXURY TRAIN TRAVEL TOURS IN INDIA - hill trains in India.
• LUXURY TRAINS - Wikipedia.
• MAGLEV TRAINS - Wikipedia.
• Mind the gap - is an audible or visual warning phrase issued to rail passengers to take caution while crossing the horizontal, and in some cases vertical, spatial gap between the train door and the station platform.
• More than just a 'mystery' train, the Orient Express whisked the elite across Europe in luxury & style - "The celebrities were hot, and the champagne was cold aboard the Orient Express, the posh railway line that became synonymous with glamour and intrigue."
• New Tibet bullet train line is so high passengers need extra oxygen - "A 435-kilometer (250-mile) rail line connecting Tibetan capital Lhasa with the city of Nyingchi entered into service on June 25, giving all 31 provincial-level regions of mainland China access to high-speed train travel."
• New trains to change how we travel - "The new train lines that could transform how you travel."
• New twist in mystery of Brunel's birthday sunrise - "Engineer once thought to have aligned Box tunnel with dawn light might have been giving his forgotten sister a place in the sun."
• On board Ireland's answer to the Orient-Express - The Telegraph.
• On board the new Jerusalem-Tel Aviv fast train - "It's been a long time coming, but Israeli commuters are finally able to board double-decker high-speed trains on a new link from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv."
• On board the Trans-Siberian Railway for a centenary ride - The Guardian.
• ORIENT EXPRESS - Wikipedia.
• 'Orient Express' is a real train & taking a ride is not cheap - "Before the dawn of private jets and business class flights, royalty and high society members traveled through Europe onboard luxury trains. Now anyone can do it - if they are willing and able to spend $2,300 for a one-night trip. That’s the starting rate to go from Florence to Paris aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, a historic luxury train operated by the LVMH-owned Belmond travel brand. Other routes cost more - much more."
• Pampered pooches ride Japan's bullet train in style - "Oh to be a pampered pooch on one of Japan's iconic Shinkansen trains heading to a beautiful resort town."
• Past, present & future: The evolution of China's incredible high-speed rail network - "At the beginning of the 21st century China had no high-speed railways. Slow and often uncomfortable trains plodded across this vast country, with low average speeds making journeys such as Shanghai-Beijing a test of travel endurance. Today, it's a completely different picture. The world's most populous nation has - by some distance - the world's largest network of high-speed railways."
• 'People don't want to fly': Covid-19 reawakens Europe's sleeper trains - "Overnight services in Europe had seemingly hit the buffers but pandemic has revived demand."
• Portugal to Singapore could be the longest train journey in the world. But how much does it cost? - "Travelling all the way from Lagos in Southern Portugal to Singapore, it takes you through Paris, Moscow and Beijing. And at 18,755 km, experts estimate completing the full journey would take 21 days. Booking tickets for the entire trip could cost around €1,200."
• Private Rail Cars Will Soon Become The Ultimate Social Distancing Escape - "A new resurgence of the Golden Age is on the horizon as interest in private rail travel in a post-pandemic world is increasing. More than pure elegance, travelers can take extraordinary voyages all in the lap of luxury. The privacy and social distancing allowed within your private rail car could soon become the ultimate luxurious adventure."
• Queen reveals love of trains as she recreates first Royal rail journey, 175 years on - The Telegraph.
• Rail & sail: how to book the perfect holiday - without any flying - "More than half of Britons plan to travel to mainland Europe this year. Here’s how to have a great time, while minimising your carbon footprint."
• Rail megaproject could shake up trade - "UAE's first national rail network 'has the potential to transform the economy'."
• Rain, steam, speed: The beautiful railways that are part of the British landscape - CNN travel.
• Reporting mark - Wikipedia.
• Riding the world's most luxurious train with the visionary designer who built it - CNN style.
• Rocky Mountaineer - Wikipedia.
• Royal Scot - Wikipedia.
• ROYAL TRAINS - Wikipedia.
• steam railways seek next generation of drivers - "As older volunteers step down, a shortage of younger ones is worrying the industry."
• steepest funicular rail line to open in Switzerland - The Guardian.
• Step inside the world's longest railway tunnel - The Telegraph.
• Super Chief - (1936-1971). One of the named passenger trains and the flagship of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. It claimed to be "The Train of the Stars" because of the celebrities it carried between Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California.
• Stunning Tokyo train designed to feel like a living room - "Japan's love affair with trains continues to push the design envelope."
• Swiss Travel Pass - allows unlimited travel on the Swiss public transport network (trains, buses, ships and tramways) for a certain number of days (3, 4, 8 or 15 consecutive days), as well as free or discounted entry to most Swiss museums. Discounts apply to mountain transport (lifts, funiculars, cogwheel trains). Some mountain transport is free of charge.
• Taiwan's stunning 106-year-old mountain railway - "Built more than 100 years ago, the Alishan Forest Railway is perhaps the best way to explore Alishan, one of Taiwan's most important mountain ranges. Lai Guo-hua, an aerial photographer who lives next to the railway, spent more than three years documenting it."
• The Balkan express: from Belgrade to Bar by railway - The Guardian.
• The Flying Scotsman: how to see it, ride it, celebrate it - The Telegraph.
• ‘The Godfather of trains’: the Trans-Mongolian from Moscow to Beijing - "For the author of Around the World in 80 Trains this was a standout journey, full of captivating encounters that could only happen on a train."
• The huge rail tunnel that will change Europe - "Huge tunnel network creates new railway link through the Alps."
• The Indian Pacific from Sydney to Perth - a trip to Australia through the middle of nowhere.
• The remarkable story behind one of Asia's most beautiful trains - "How an open letter turned an 'aesthetic catastrophe' into an award-winning Taiwan tourist train."
• The return of Europe's night trains? - "Are Europe's night trains back in fashion? Sleeper trains were making a slow comeback in Europe before the pandemic, but will Covid-19 help or hinder a renaissance of long-distance rail travel?"
• The Royal Express: Japan's newest luxury train revealed - The Telegraph.
• The Royal Scotsman - Wikipedia.
• The Shinkansen - also known as the "Bullet Train", is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan.
• The Society of International Railway Travelers - "Since 1983, we've been offering luxury, first-class and steam rail tours with The World's Top 25 Trains in Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, North America and South America."
• The top 25 scenic train routes in India
• The trains of the future are coming at 400 mph - "Faster, cleaner, greener: What lies ahead for the world's railways."
• The World's Most Luxurious Trains - Business Insider.
• This is how us presidents used to travel - "Before Air Force One there was Train Car One."
• This railway was incredibly challenging to build. Yet few have heard of it - "The story behind the Trans-Iranian Railway, one of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century."
• This UNESCO-listed train is a spectacular feat of engineering - "All aboard India's joyful 'toy train'."
• Through the Pyrenees on the Little Yellow Train - The Telegraph.
• Tilting tech & talking toilets: the good & bad of Virgin Trains - "Virgin Trains reaches the end of the line on Saturday. How will it be remembered?"
• TRAIN - Wikipedia.
• Trans-Siberian Railway - Wikipedia.
• train ticket that revolutionized European rail travel - "The Interrail pass was dreamed up by the International Union of Railways (UIC), a body overseeing Europe's railways that's since ceded control of Interrail to the independent Eurail company. The European Interrail pass, which allowed young people under 21, across 21 participating countries, to buy a £27.50 (at the time about $67) ticket for unlimited travel across Europe by train for a full month."
• Venice-Simplon Orient Express - Wikipedia.
• Vintage train journeys at risk as coal supply fails - "Heritage railways, which make millions for UK economy, axe services as mines close and Russian sources are ruled out."
• Welcome to the new age of the luxury train - The Telegraph.
• Where does the 'red carpet' come from? - "Greek tragedy and railways: An unexpected history of the red carpet."
• Why airlines want you to go by train - "We might not all be Greta Thunberg, shunning air travel for weeks-long odysseys aboard Atlantic yachts, but turning our backs on short-haul flights in favor of train travel is, for many of us, a more practical enterprise."
• Why Trains Are a Great Way to Travel With Your Dog(s) - The New York Times.
• world’s 10 best train journeys – by the woman who’s done them all - The Telegraph.
• World's fastest bullet train begins tests - "Japan tests world's fastest bullet train."
• world's fastest trains - "Until someone proves otherwise, high-speed rail is the most effective alternative to air travel for journeys of up to 1,100 kilometers (700 miles). Shuttling passengers between city centers at speeds of 290 kph (180 mph) or more, it offers a compelling combination of speed and convenience."
• World's first 350km-per-hour driverless bullet train goes into service in China - "As the countdown to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics continues, the new 108-mile high-speed railway line connecting the capital with Olympic host city Zhangjiakou has just entered service, cutting the travel time between the two from three hours to 47 minutes. It's also been dubbed the world's first smart high-speed railway."
• World's most crowded train line revealed - "The world's busiest transit lines, according to Google."
• world's most incredible rail journeys - "Free from the rigors of the daily commute, traveling by train is by far the most civilized way to get around and really get to know a new country."
• world's most luxurious train journeys - The Telegraph.
• World's most luxurious train trip? - "All aboard the Maharajas' Express, India's most luxurious train."
• Worlds Most Scenic Railway Journeys: Series 1 - "Bill Nighy narrates the stories of 6 epic train journeys through stunning scenery and natural beauty. The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys will explore trips across Canada, Europe and New Zealand through the characters who travel, work and live near them."
• world's most spectacular railway stations - The Telegraph.
• world's most spectacular steam train journey? - The Telegraph.
• World's poshest train is now even posher - "Is this the most luxurious train carriage in the world?"
• World's Top 25 Trains - The Society of International Railway Travelers.