Train travel has seen a resurgence in popularity over recent years, and for good reason. Not only is it eco-friendly and often cheaper than flying, but train travel provides a perfect way to traverse a country at a relaxed pace, with ample time to soak up the atmosphere, admire the views and chat up the locals along the way. Whether you prefer to travel in deluxe, 5-star cabins or crammed into a rickety carriage with every man and his goat, there’s a railway journey to suit everyone.From trundling through canyons to an opulent safari-on-wheels or winding down snow-drenched mountains, these are 12 of the world’s most scenic train journeys to fuel your wanderlust.
1. The Flåm Railway, Norway
Winding...
more...

through the wild mountains of Myrdal in Western Norway, the Flåm railway is a tourist spectacle unlike any other. Famed for both its scenic vistas and innovative engineering, the railway tunnels down precipitous mountain slopes into the Flåm Valley. The 20km descent is amongst the steepest in the world, twisting through yawning ravines, cascading waterfalls, remote Nordic farmhouses and snow-dusted mountain peaks. Lasting a short but exhilarating 55 minutes, this is the closest that rail passengers will get to an adrenaline kick. Visit the Flam website for more information and tickets – journeys cost around US$60 return.
2. Canadian Rockies Railway, Canada
For sun-speckled lakes and virgin-white peaks, few landscapes are as famed as the Canadian Rockies, and what better way to discover the icy landscape than from the comfort of a plush, heated railway carriage? The Rockies – a UNESCO heritage site – provide a stunning backdrop of shale and limestone peaks as the railway winds through from Alberta to British Columbia.VIA offers a 7-day Vancouver to Toronto trip – from CAN$1,879 economy -passing through Jasper – Canada’s largest National park, the Columbian ice fields, the Banff, and Yoho National park along its route. Or else the Royal Canadian Pacific’s six-day Canadian Rockies trail – CAN$8200 + tax, all inclusive – takes in Lake Louise, Kicking horse pass and the spiral tunnels and the Columbia valley wetlands. Whichever route you choose, it’s surely a more relaxing way to discover the Rockies than attempting to scale the high peaks – a feat best left to skilled mountaineers.
3. Trans Siberian, Russia
It would be impossible to put together a list of the world’s best train journeys without a nod to the Trans Siberian. The railway, spanning some 6,000 miles, is not only the world’s longest but also one of the most popular – a journey that features on many traveler’s wish lists. Chugging at snail pace through rugged Russian landscapes and vast Siberian plateaus, the Trans Siberian also branches into Mongolia and China, offering a varied trans-continental experience.There are numerous options for travelers from first-class package deals running into the thousands including stopovers with local tours and excursions, to the cheaper DIY hop-on-hop-off approach where you’ll probably find yourself piled in with the locals and practicing your Russian over a stiff drink. Seat 61 offers an excellent guide to navigating the Trans-Siberian, planning your itinerary and booking your tickets.
4. Cusco to Machu Picchu, Peru
The Inca ruins of Machu Picchu are perhaps most famous for the grueling 3-4 day trek that leads ambitious hikers up through the Andes, climbing to a nausea-inducing 4, 200m above sea level. Thankfully, for the less adventurous (or lazier) sightseer, there is another quicker and decidedly more comfortable route up the mountains, by train.A few choices are available, from the cheap and simple backpacker trains (around US$80 round trip) to the opulent and considerably pricier gold and blue Hiram Bingham train (US$588 round trip including meals), christened after the explorer who first uncovered the lost Inca city. Whatever your budget, the spectacular scenery is unlikely to disappoint – an immense backdrop of craggy mountains and alpaca-filled fields set against the rippling waters of the Urubamba river. All that before you even get to the main attraction. Visit Peru rail website for booking details.
5. The Royal Scotsman, Scotland
Tumbling through misty marshlands and bleak, gloomy cliffs, the Royal Scotsman railway offers up topography as varied as the Scottish weather itself. The railway line weaves through the Scottish highlands, following stretches of deserted coastline and parading a slideshow of thatched roofed hamlets, rolling glens, eerily calm lochs, and acres of unblemished countryside.A range of different journeys are on offer, from 2 to 7 day tours, and although the extravagant price tags – anything from around US$4000 dollars for 2 nights up to $16,000 for a 7 day trip – may not be a hit with budget travelers, the prices are inclusive of food, alcohol and sight-seeing excursions – including traditional Scottish pastimes like salmon fishing and whisky tasting. And with only 36 guests on-board, a top sous chef whipping up dinner and plush private cabins, it’s likely that you’ll get your money’s worth. See the Royal Scotsman website for booking details.
6. The Palace on Wheels, India
India has long been famous for it’s hectic yet unmissable train journeys and many a backpacker has returned to beguile their friends with tales of high-speed train ‘toilets’ or backbreaking bumpy trips through the Himalayas. Thankfully, India’s cheap prices mean that an upgrade to first class is both affordable and preferable and India’s first class is a league above most.One train in particular – the aptly named ‘Palace on wheels’ – aims to provide the pinnacle of stylish transportation. From the chic dress of the plentiful attendants, to the exuberant décor featuring swish cabins and decadent saloons, the Palace on wheels is at the top end of the luxury scale.Leaving from Delhi, the railway chugs through the deserts of Rajasthan, taking in Jaipur, the lake palace at Udaipar, Jaisalmer (where guests can opt for a camel safari) and the Taj Mahal. Prices for an all inclusive week average between US$2000-$3000 – visit the official website for a wide range of package deals.
7. The Blue Train, South Africa
Another train vying for a place at the top of the luxury list is South Africa’s Blue Train. With gold-tinted windows, butler service, marble floor tiles and carriages that could pass as 5-star hotel suites, it’s no wonder that the train has played host to numerous presidents and royalty over the years.Running 1,600 km between Cape Town and Pretoria, the sapphire-blue carriages tunnel through rolling mountains and thick forest, passing by desert plains where giraffes, elephants and zebras roam. With even the cheapest tickets coming in at around US$2000 the Blue train is hardly a way to mingle with the locals, but for sheer jaw-dropping views and unbeatable wildlife spotting opportunities, this is definitely the way to see South Africa in style. Check out the official Blue Train website for ticket details and schedules.
8. Copper Canyon Railway, Mexico
Four times the size of the Grand Canyon, Mexico’s Copper Canyon etches an imposing silhouette across the Sierra Tarahumara, situated in Chihuahua, north Mexico. Known by many names, the ‘Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico’, ‘El Chepe’ or simply the ‘Copper Canyon Railway’ offers the simplest yet non-the-less spectacular way to traverse the famous canyon. Running from Los Mochis to the Copper Canyon, the train cruises through some 87 tunnels and over 37 bridges, through the Tarahumara Mountains to Chihuahua. The real highlight though, is the winding track climbing high out of the canyon, with peaks reaching 2,400m above sea level.Dramatic vistas aside, this is no luxury affair – the trains are simple, sparse and offer few luxuries (or necessities for that matter – bring your own toilet paper). Serving a wide mix of locals as well as tourists, the railway can be a great way to interact with the locals and at around 16 hours each way, there’s plenty of time to practice your Spanish in-between gawping at the landscape. Both a first class express train and a 2nd class ‘local’ train run daily – visit the El Chepe website for schedule and ticket information. Expect to pay around US$90 for the cheapest full-journey tickets.
9. The Glacier Express, Switzerland
A leisurely and visually delightful way to reach your ski resort, or simply to enjoy the views, Switzerland’s Glacier Express railway is possibly Europe’s most scenic train route. Running 180 miles from Zermatt to St. Moritz, the trip takes around 8 hours (somewhat defeating it’s ‘express’ claim), runs through some 91 tunnels and over a staggering 291 bridges. Wintertime is the best time to travel, when the snowfall leaves the countryside drenched in white, but the picturesque landscapes and quaint villages hold their own at any time of the year.For those looking for a quick-fix dose of Swiss magic, this one train ride spans almost the whole of Southern Switzerland and checks numerous boxes off the sightseeing list – crossing both the Rhone and the Rhine rivers, the towering Matterhorn mountain, the deep ravines of Gotthard Pass and climbing to 2033m over the Oberalp Pass. Trips cost around 95 euros – see the official website for ticket details.
10. The Coastal Classic Train, Alaska
Although other routes remain popular, the Coastal Classic stays true to its name as arguably the most classically beautiful stretch of scenery along the Alaskan railroad. The tourist draws include enormous glaciers spied from the towering Kenai Mountains, glimpses of Beluga whales along the coast of Turnagain Arm and optional dog sledding in the holiday resort of Girdwood along the way. That’s not to mention the additional acres of alpine hills, wildflower-filled verges and glacial landscapes along the way. Running between Anchorage and Seward on the Coastal Classic takes a mere 4 hours one way, leaving plenty of time for a few stop-overs along the way. Alaska railroad is a good place to start for tickets or tours.
11. The Ghan, Australia
Renowned as one of the World’s greatest train journeys, The Ghan runs the length of Australia from Adelaide in the South to Darwin on the Northern coast. This is the wilderness of the outback at it’s best – an ocean of red dirt desert, vibrant aboriginal settlements and vast expanses of unpopulated land. The Ghan also runs through Alice Springs, a popular stopover for tourists wishing to visit Uluru (Ayres rock) and through other notable tourist havens like the Flinders ranges and the Katherine Gorge.Popular since its creation over 80 years ago, The Ghan retains its reputation as Australia’s most impressive train ride and few travelers are disappointed with the 2-night south to north trip. Book your trip with Great Southern Rail where a sleeper cabin will set you back AU$1420.
12. The Sky Train, Tibet
With 80% of the railway cruising along at over 4000m above sea level and the peak at Tangula Pass reaching a lofty 5, 072m, the appropriately dubbed ‘Roof of the world’ train line might quite literally take your breath away. But those nervous of the high altitudes needn’t worry – the train’s ventilation system is fed with supplementary oxygen so you can sit back and enjoy the views – snow capped mountaintops, herds of yaks, mossy verges and vast, icy plateaus.The 14-hour journey from Golmund to Lhasa in Tibet started up in 2006, providing easy access into previously hard to navigate territory. Indeed, most of the railway line is built on permafrost, crossing terrain that had been deemed uncrossable for years. Prices are generally between US$30 for a hard-seat economy ticket up to US$185 for a sleeper berth plus the cost of a Tibet travel permit – check out the train’s website for more details.

Yes, I’ve done it; travelled by train from New Delhi to Varanasi, further towards Kolkata and then to Dimapur in Nagaland – East Bengal. Almost 3.000km of pure action! For all of you, who are planning to travel trough India by train, here a few important (and helpful) tips:
IF POSSIBLE PLAN AHEAD.
I know this is not so easy, but it definitely helps. Always remember, there are over 1 billion Indians, so trains are full at any day. If you want to travel in your preferred class, you have to plan ahead.The...
more...

perfect train-search is Iindianrail.gov.in. There is a link on the left side of the page, which gives you the availability at major stations. That’s a good way to start; type in your point of embarkation and all trains for the next 7 days will show up. I know it’s a bit of fiddling around, but a great start for your the next steps. As a foreigner you unfortunately can’t book through this site. You have to book through Cleartrip.com. On this site, it will be a lot easier if you already know which trains and classes are available. The different classes can be checked out at Seat61.com, a great train travel site for any train travel around the world. The guy who maintains this site deserves a huge “Thank you”!So, once you have booked your ticket, you can go to Iindianrail.gov.in again and check out the left sidebar to find the train schedule with all the stations the train’s going to stops. If you print out this schedule, it helps to know if the train is late and where you are while on the train.Once at the station there are signs on which platform the train arrives or leaves. Sometimes the platforms change, they say it through the speakers. But if the platform changes shorthly before the train enters the station, everybody starts running and this is a good indication that the train will arrive at a different platform, so go with the flow. Train carriages are indicated with little signs overhead on the platforms, or just ask someone if you need help. The trains are almost always arranged with a system. You also find all this informaion on Iindianrail.gov.in under information – train type information, but it’s a bit time consuming.
1ST CLASS.
Easygoing with electricity supply. It’s pretty comfortable with clean linens and it only lacks the real Indian experience. Why? Well, for example in the train stations, food sellers always tend to stay away from the first class carriages because they don’t sell a lot (most Indian travel 2nd or 3rd class). Even the pantry car guys seem to forget first class, so ask the conducteur to send one guy over to order food.I had my water kettle with an extension cord for my mobile phone, laptop, etc. with me, so brewing tea and coffee was easy.Most Indians who travel first class are very educated people (University professors or doctors), so most of them speak very good English and therefore a nice conversation is possible.
2ND CLASS.
More people travel second class and therefore the contact with the locals is more frequent. I was offered all sorts of delicacies from families who brought them onto the train. Sleeping is not as comfy as first class but you also get a pillow and blanket. There are some power plugs for re-charging you electronics.
3RD CLASS.
Well, what can I say? If you didn’t book early enough and everything else is full, this often is the only possibility to continue your travels without waiting time. It’s packed but people are very friendly and I had the impression that stealing is not a problem. Not so fun: It’s noisy with up to 20 ventilators running and bright neon lights, so sleeping can be tough. In sleeper your best bet is the upper bunk. The conducteur will help you get your space if you are helpless getting it yourself (Indians don’t seem to care about sear numbers…). The bonus of travelling third class (or as I like to call it “cattle class”): It’s so cheap that you should treat yourself to a better hotel room upon arrival. I think I paid something like 5 Euro for over 700 km.
IMPORTANT GADGETS TO BRING.
Sleeping mask and ear plugs for 3rd class.
Travel food: Bananas – even if you don’t like them, you will start to love them; no mess, easy to peel, no need to wash them & they fill the stomach without feeling stuffed up.
(Moist) Toilet paper – in general, the toilets on trains are clean. They clean the sanitary rooms with high-pressure cleaners every few stations.
A small towel.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me for assistance. There’s still a lot to be said but for this post, it’s enough for the moment.

Mumbai: Are the routes on Konkan Railway (KR) a huge drain on the exchequer? Can they ever be financially viable? These are the questions being raised following repeated disruptions of rail traffic. In the last two months alone, rail traffic had to be suspended on three occasions due to waterlogging, landslides, and boulders sliding on to the tracks. Now senior railway board officials are saying that the costs of maintaining the route have far outstripped even the project cost. "To recover the cost of construction and the heavy maintenance costs, tariffs over the route are already inflated by 40% for passenger traffic and by 50% for freight traffic," pointed out a senior official. "But even that is not helping. The project cost Rs 800 crore, but clearing landslide debris is getting costlier by the day." This year alone, KR has spent nearly Rs 40 crore on clearing tracks. He explained how this...
more...

dream project was something even the British toyed with and abandoned. "The Greater Indian Peninsular Railway had surveyed the region in the late 1930s. They found the narrow West Coast strip, bound by the Sahyadris on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west, unsuited for a railway. Their findings cited the presence of criss-cross mountain ranges, soft laterite soil, a large number of rivers, and tidal estuaries as reasons for abandoning the idea," he said, adding, "We thought we are technically advanced, but now, with the spate of disruptions and mishaps, it seems they were right."The 760 km-long route saw its first mishap on June 22, 2003, when a portion of the hill crashed, blocking the tunnel. This led to the derailment of the Mumbai-Karwar Jan Shatabdi Express, killing 51. A year later, on June 16, 2004, the Mumbai-Goa Matsyagandha Express collided with boulders that fallen at the entrance of a tunnel near Ratnagiri.Eight bogies were derailed, with two falling off the bridge, leaving 14 dead. The Matsyagandha Express met with another accident on November 8, 2010, near Ankola in North Kanara, this time hit by boulders that came crashing down the hillside. One died and 15 were injured. Though nobody is willing to go on record, KR sources estimate that to date, KR has spent a whopping Rs1,200 crore to keep its trains plying. "Landslides, caused by removal of basal support to the rock and soil mass on the hill-slope, are the major problem," avers Dr V Subramanyan, former geology professor, IIT Bombay, who has studied this region extensively. "The railway's excavation of the hill-slopes for laying the tracks contributes to the removal of this 'toe' support, as it is called, and initiates landslides," he explains. "The unfavourable inclination of the rocks and the heavy rains this region experiences only add to the problem." According to him, constructing retaining walls below the slopes that have been cut into is necessary to stabilise them. "Several such walls have been built by KR. However, as the recent wall collapse near Ratnagiri shows, the protection was rather weak and hence ineffective. Thicker, RCC walls, founded deep enough, are needed. KR has placed steel wire nets on some slopes susceptible to landslides. But intensive monitoring during the monsoon will help identify more such areas for preventive action."Dr Subramanyan also points to another culprit. He says due to weathering, the black 'basalt' rock found in Konkan releases spherical boulders. "The cycle of heating up during the day and cooling down during night produces rounded boulders due to 'spheroidal weathering.' These boulders, some fully buried, some partly buried, and some others released from their moorings, can be seen strewn all over. These get dislodged by vibrations caused by speeding trains and fall on the track, leading to accidents," he explains. He advises a detailed survey so that all loose boulders on hill-slopes near the track and above tunnel entrances can be located and removed. "Those partly buried should be anchored with appropriate cement sprays or structures. If the boulders are properly managed, accidents can be averted."Local environmentalists like Jeetendra Gharat put say part of the blame lies with the illegal quarrying activity. "Since these people enjoy the political patronage of the biggest politician in the Konkan region, nobody dares say anything," he laments. Admitting that the recurrent problem is a matter of concern, KR chief public relations officer Siddheshwar Telugu told DNA, "We set aside nearly Rs 25 crore for preventive pre-monsoon works to ensure a mishap-free monsoon. This is a continuous battle. We know huge funds are involved but KR now connects people across the country and we have to keep it going."

The total travelling time from one end to the other end of this line will come around to 27 minutes.Among the other highlights of this line is that it boasts of the sharpest gauge curve of the Delhi Metro network with a radius curve of 262 m between Ashok Park station to Satguru stations.Earlier, the sharpest curve was near the IFFCO Chowk Metro station in Gurgaon at a radius of 282.05 metres in broad gauge.The 262 degree curve which is 518 metres in length has been constructed on the elevated section between the Satguru Ram Singh Marg and Ashok Park Main Metro stations.The curve was necessitated to save the buildings and residential complexes that existed on each side of the line and to avoid large-scale demolition.DMRC said the the building of sharp curves requires a great deal of engineering skill and it had to build a special dedicated bed for the...
more...

segment casting for this curve."The segments were then constructed according to the already defined 'radius of curvature' and then put on the elevated section," it said.

The 3.32 kilometer long Kirti Nagar to Ashok Park Main section of Line No.5 i.e, Mundka to Inderlok/Kirti Nagar (also known as Green Line) is now a part of the Delhi Metro network. The section was ceremonially flagged off today by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi Smt. Sheila Dikshit from the new Kirti Nagar Metro station. Sh. Arvinder Singh, the Transport Minister of Delhi, Sh. Ramakant Goswami, the Industries Minister of Delhi, Sh. Anil Bhardwaj, MLA and Parliamentary Secretary to the Chief Minister and Sh. Rajesh Lilothia, MLA also attended the ceremony. The line was made operational for the public from 3 pm on 27th August 2011. This section comprises of two stations namely, Kirti Nagar (at grade) and Satguru Ram Singh Marg (elevated).
MAIN...
more...

CHARACTERISITCS:
This section, which is part of Line- 5, will be providing interconnectivity between Line-1 (Dilshad Garden to Rithala) and Line-3/4 (Dwarka Sec-21 to Noida City Centre/Vaishali). Ashok Park Main and Kirti Nagar Metro stations will work as interchange stations to go towards Line-1 and Line-3/4 respectively. Satguru Ram Singh Marg Metro station will be connecting Ring railway’s Patel Nagar station with the Delhi Metro network. The new Standard Gauge Kirti Nagar station of this line will be at grade, which will be connected to the existing Kirti Nagar station of Line-3 through a Foot Over Bridge (FOB) connecting the paid areas of both the stations.
OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:
TRAIN FREQUENCY
A total of fifteen trains will be running on this line i.e, Mundka to Inderlok/Kirti Nagar with a peak hour frequency of about four minutes between Mundka and Ashok Park Main. Whereas, from the Ashok Park Main station, alternate trains will be going towards Inderlok and Kirti Nagar Metro stations. The total time taken from one end to the other end of the line i.e, Mundka to Inderlok and Mundka to Kirti Nagar will be approximately 27 minutes each.
FARE STRUCTURE & TRAVEL TIME
The opening of the new section has no implications on the overall Metro fare structure as the minimum fare continues to be ` 8 and the maximum ` 30. Complete Fare Chart is available on our official website www.delhimetrorail.com.
Rather, the Kirti Nagar – Ashok Park Main Metro link will reduce the fares as well as cut down the traveling time between many destinations of Line 1 (Dilshad Garden - Rithala), Line 3 (Dwarka Sector 21 – NOIDA City Centre) and Line 5 (Inderlok - Mundka) of the Delhi Metro network as now the commuters of Line 3 will be easily able to travel to a destination on Line 1 and 5 without going to Rajiv Chowk and Kashmere Gate and vice versa. 
Due to this link, the cost of travel will come down by more than 50 percent in some instances. For example, the present fare between Punjabi Bagh and Kirti Nagar is ` 21. The same will come down to ` 10 after the opening of this link. Similarly, the fare from Ashok Park Main to Ramesh Nagar is ` 22 and it will decrease to ` 12 after the commencement of services on this corridor. (The difference of fare from Line 5 to selected destinations is attached). The traveling time of the commuters using these stretches will also come down by almost 50 percent in many cases. For example, commuters traveling from Dwarka to any destination on Line 1 and 5 will be conveniently able to avail the interchange facilities at Kirti Nagar and Ashok Park Main and reach their destinations. Presently, they have to go all the way to Rajiv Chowk and then to Kashmere Gate to reach the same destinations.The opening of this stretch will also help a lot in decongesting the busy Rajiv Chowk and Kashmere Gate interchange stations as the commuters traveling between destinations on lines 1,3 and 5 won’t have to come to these stations to change trains.
CONSTRUCTION HIGHLIGHTS:
SHARPEST CURVE OF DELHI METRO BETWEEN SATGURU RAM SINGH MARG & ASHOK PARK MAIN METRO STATONS
The sharpest standard gauge curve (262 degree) of the Delhi Metro network has been constructed by the DMRC on its elevated section between the Satguru Ram Singh Marg & Ashok Park Main Metro stations.
This curve is of 518 meters in length and exists between pier no. KP-56 to KP 76. Curves of less than 300 meters of radius are considered ‘sharp curves’ in urban rail construction. This curve had to be constructed to save the already existing buildings, commercial malls and residential complexes on either side of the Metro.
Normally, a curve of radius not less than 300 degrees is possible for a smooth turn but here, due to heavily built area, a radius curve of 262 m has been given from Ashok Park station to Satguru Ram Sing Marg station, thus, avoiding large-scale demolition and maintaining the average speed of the trains at 60-65 kmph.
The work of building sharp curves requires a great deal of engineering skill and several factors have to be kept in mind while designing special segments/spans at the concerned turn/juncture. The DMRC had to build a special dedicated bed in its casting yard for segment casting. The segments were then constructed according to the already defined ‘radius of curvature’ and then put on the elevated section.
Earlier, the sharpest curve of DMRC was in Gurgaon near the IFFCO Chowk Metro station with a radius of 282.05 meters in broad gauge. This curve still remains the sharpest ever curve on broad a gauge corridor.