10 Scenic Train Rides

On a train, the journey is the destination. We’ve rounded up ten of the world’s most spectacular train rides for you to enjoy. Five of them are here in the United States and great to share with small children. The other five are perfect destinations to explore with older grandchildren, perhaps to mark a graduation, or with your sweetie, to celebrate a special anniversary or milestone birthday.

All aboard for adventure and romance!

Cusco – Machu Picchu, Peru

For high adventure, board the Hiram Bingham Express and head to Machu Picchu. The train is named for the explorer who led the team that discovered the sacred city of the Incans. The intrepid Mr. Bingham is said to have inspired the fictional hero, Indiana Jones.

It’s worthwhile to spring for the Vistadome Experience, where the glass-roofed cars will provide you with unparalleled views of the Peruvian countryside. The train climbs lush, green mountains and wends alongside the surging Urubamba River as it carries you to one of the world’s most fabled cities.

Manitou Springs – Pikes Peak, Colorado

The cog railway ride to Pikes Peak is one you’ll never forget. The train carries guests through four distinct bio-zones ranging from the high plains to alpine tundra, and is so spectacular that it inspired poet Katherine Lee Bates to pen the lyrics to the classic anthem, America the Beautiful.

Your Peak experience will include views of 2000 year old bristlecone pine and, likely, creatures including big horn sheep and yellow-bellied marmots. From the 14,115 foot summit, it’s possible to see the skyscrapers of downtown Denver and, on a clear day, four states are visible.

Darjeeling-Ghoom, India

The two foot distance between its rails, which requires train cars to be smaller, has earned the Darjeeling Himalayan the affectionate nickname of the Toy Train. In fact, when it was constructed in the late 1800s, it represented a triumph of engineering and still is considered one of the world’s most outstanding examples of hill passenger railways.

Prepare to be dazzled by the sight of colorful sari-clad shoppers in the busy cities, and landscapes from dense tropical jungle and picturesque tea gardens to forests including pear, cherry, and cardamom trees. Ghoom, at the end of the line, is the highest station in India with an elevation of 7,407 feet.

Buzzard’s Bay – Hyannis, Massachusetts

“If you like the taste of a lobster stew…” and even if you don’t , a trip on the Cape Cod Central Railroad is sure to make you fall in love with the Cape. Travel through salt marshes, sand dunes and cranberry bogs. Stop for a walking tour of Sandwich: built in 1637, it’s the oldest town on the Cape.

Birdwatchers will recognize a wide variety of seabirds, including hawks, blue herons, ospreys and cormorants. Near the town of Barnstable, watch for the cow tunnels – stone tunnels just “one cow high and one cow wide.”

Singapore – Bangkok, Thailand

Named one of the World’s Top 25 Trains by the Society of International Railway Travelers, the Eastern and Oriental Express will transport passengers across the famous bridge over the River Kwai surrounded in luxury. This memorable journey includes views of 12th century Khmer temples, as well as of rice paddies, rubber plantations and rainforests. Groves of frangipani and mango trees perfume the air along stretches of the journey, and in the Khao Yai National Park visitors often spy wild elephants, gibbons and other native species.

San Francisco, CA – Chicago, IL

Often, and deservedly, cited as one of the most scenic train routes in North America, Amtrak’s California Zephyr provides views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the skyscrapers of Chicago, and everything in between. Take in the plains of Nebraska and mountains from the great Rockies to the Sierra Nevadas. Gape at the raw beauty of the Gore, Byers and Glenwood Canyons and give a nod to manmade wonders when you travel across the Continental Divide through the Moffat Tunnel.

Myrdal – Flam, Norway

Nordic railway engineering is at its finest on the Flam Railway. Even a scale modeler would be impressed at the number of mountain tunnels on the route. And the scenery is nothing short of jaw-dropping. Waterfalls cascade beside the route, and tiny farms seem to defy gravity as they cling to the sides of Nordic mountains. The route ends in Flam, where you can visit the Aurlandfjord , which is a branch of the nation’s largets fjord, the Sognefjord.

Cass – Bald Knob, West Virginia

Nestled in the hills of Pocahontas County is the Cass Scenic Railroad. At one time the sawmill in Cass was one of the busiest in the world, and the railroad was built to transport supplies to the town and lumber from it. Today, visitors may think they’re time- traveling, as they listen to the huff of the old steam locomotive, the piercing train whistle, and the clickety-clack as the train pulls them toward one of the highest points in the state. As you take in the view you’ll understand why John Denver sang that West Virginia is “almost heaven.”

St. Moritz – Zermott, Switzerland

Travel across the Alps in railway cars designed to give you panoramic views of the scenery rolling by on either side of you. If you’re a history or geology buff, headsets are available to give you a guided tour in six different languages. From the luxury of St. Moritz, your destination is Zermott, home of the world’s most photographed mountain, the Matterhorn. The Glacier Express prides itself on being the world’s slowest express train, and with the grandeur of the Swiss Alps to enjoy, why would anyone want to rush?

Seward – Fairbanks, Alaska

Mt. McKinley, located in Denali National Park, is the highest peak in North America. With an altitude that exceeds 20,000 feet, it’s just one of the spectacular sights you’ll see if you travel the Alaska Railroad. Roll through some of the most rugged wilderness in the world, and enjoy the view through the large picture windows each car features. Keep your eyes open for native wildlife, including bears, moose, wolves, and smaller creatures like wolverines. Intrepid hikers explore this terrain on foot but isn’t it nice to have the safety and the warmth the train provides?