All Aboard with Europe’s Best Train Rides
Posted in Italy, London, Switzerland, The UK on 11. Mar, 2011
What road trips are to the USA, railroad trips are to Europe. Let the Americans keep their Route 66. I’ll hop aboard the Orient Express anytime. Yes, the Orient Express is still running, and so are dozens of other European train routes. So allow yourself to sit back and leave the driving to someone else as you enjoy awesome natural panoramas and the fruits of thousands of years of civilization going by outside your window.
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, London, UK to Venice, Italy
Two days, one night, one way
Okay, why not start with the Orient Express? Although the official name of this world-famous odyssey is the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. You’ll be stepping aboard the train in London’s lovely Victoria Station and feeling the calendar turn back to the 1920s, the golden age of rail on European rail travel. Sixteen million dollars was spent restoring 35 sleeping cars to their original art deco sophistication, and the elegant on-board dinner dress code also hearkens back to those more sophisticated days. A suit and tie for men and the equivalent for women, though black tie and gowns encouraged. Outside you’ll see the snowcapped Alps passing by as inside you learn the story behind each of the restored carriages.
The Chocolate Train, Montreux, Switzerland to Broc, Switzerland
Nine hours, 45 minutes, round-trip
No, the train is not made of chocolate. But the Chocolate Train offers the next best thing by providing two of Switzerland’s most famous exports at the beginning, middle and end of the ride; chocolate and cheese. Running in the summer and fall, this charming train climbs from Montreux, providing spectacular views of Lake Geneva and arriving at the tiny medieval town of Gruyères, home to the cheese of the same name. Here you’ll disembark to tour the cheese factory and the local castle, have lunch, then re-board the train and continue on to Broc, where you’ll be bussed to the Cailler-Nestlé chocolate factory, tucked between Lake Gruyères and the mountain peaks, for free samples, before heading back to Montreux.
The Bernina Express, Chur, Switzerland, to Tirano, Italy
Four hours, 14 minutes, one way
After experiencing the 55 tunnels and 196 bridges of the unbelievably beautiful Bernina Express, you will truly feel like you’ve experienced the Alps. The 360-degree spiral and the seven-percent inclines are sure to produce a giddy feeling as you climb to a peak height of 7,391 feet and then drop 5,905 feet on your descent to Tirano. This narrow-gauge railway provides an experience that you will never forget that is not quite a train ride and not quite a roller coaster ride. If you think that the Alpine vistas you see passing by outside your window are especially beautiful, you’re not alone. Part of the route is actually a UNESCO World Heritage site. And it’s not just about the journey. Chur, your starting point is Switzerland’s oldest city, and the charming town of Tirano boasts just under 10,000 people.
The Transylvanian Odyssey, Budapest, Hungary to Istanbul, Turkey
Eight days.
To really get an idea of what train travel was like at its peak, one must experience the Danube Express, and taking the Transylvanian Odyssey is a great way to do it. A private train swimming in classical elegance, the Danube Express offers fine dining and modern conveniences. Starting in the magnificent city of Budapest, the train takes you through the heart of the Carpathian Mountains, though the fabled land of Transylvania. Here you’ll pause for a walking tour of the medieval town that was the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler before re-boarding and continuing your journey to that crossroads of cultures, Istanbul. You’ll know you’re getting close when you see the Bosporus out your window, and the beautiful Topkapi Palace marking the skyline.
Trans-Siberian Railway, Moscow, Russia to Vladivostok, Russia
Nineteen days, one-way
One of the greatest engineering feats and the most iconic European train ride, the Trans-Siberian Railway is also the longest trip at 19 days. A Russian icon dating back to the days of the Czar, the Trans-Siberian Railway crosses eight time zones and many cultures to connect the Russian capital with the Pacific port of Vladivostok, whose closest major city is Pyongyang, North Korea. On board, poor mingle with rich, young with old, foreigners with locals. Social barriers disappear as passengers share a unique rail experience. And the shots of $3-a-liter vodka don’t hurt either. For added comfort, you can book a private car via a tour operator, and while you’re there you can schedule many side excursions from trekking and scuba diving to city tours. After all, when is the next time you’ll be in Siberia?
