All aboard: The 10 best rail journeys to take this year
From high-speed adventures to slow and scenic experiences, there’s a track to suit every traveller.
Rail travel is getting back on track and it is beginning to look as though we are entering a new golden age. Picking up where we left off in 2019, more holidaymakers than ever are discovering that the way in which you travel is almost as important as where you travel and that the journey itself, far from being some unpleasant ordeal, can enhance the experience.
What could be more pleasurable than winding through glorious mountain passes – possibly with a glass of wine in hand – along sparkling stretches of ocean, past shimmering lakes and maize fields, then coming into the heart of a neon-lit metropolis, all from the comfort of a window seat on a train?
There is clearly post-pandemic pent-up demand for travel of all kinds. But rail travel in particular is striking a chord among those wanting to get from A to B more pleasurably, more mindfully and, yes, in a more environmentally responsible way.
For some, the advent of more high-speed train services, the latest being Iyro in Spain, means that, in addition, rail is often now more viable and cost-effective than flying. For Australian travellers who have already done the long-haul to London or another European hub, steering clear of more airports can be a blessing.
Demand is also growing for slower services, the ones that give you more time to sit and stare; to take stock; to chat to fellow passengers; to appreciate that less really can be more. On top of that there is an exciting expansion of sleeper services in Europe that is inspiring a whole new generation to try the “night train”.
So from Northumberland to New Zealand and La Coruna to Casablanca, here’s a selection of new, noteworthy and inspirational train trips for 2023. Enjoy the ride.
London to Morocco
Casablanca – it’s an exotic name that sparks a frisson of excitement. We can’t all be Bogarts or Bergmans, but travellers can venture flight-free from Britain to Morocco on a journey that, while mainly in Europe, crosses into Africa and opens up a whole new continent of rail adventure. Devised by British rail specialist Byway Travel, this itinerary uses improved high-speed services through France and Spain, with stops in Paris, Barcelona, Madrid and Cadiz before crossing the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangier. Next up Fez and Casablanca.
Details: Fifteen nights from £2105 ($3933) a person, including rail travel to and from London and accommodation en route and daily breakfast.
Takeo Onsen to Nagasaki
Everyone knows about the bullet trains (shinkansen) that whisk travellers through the Land of the Rising Sun at superfast speeds. But the country also has slower, more stylish “sightseeing trains”, the latest of which on the island of Kyushu – the Two Stars 4047 – runs in a loop connecting Takeo Onsen and Nagasaki, with stops for photos at places of scenic interest including picturesque Omura Bay. The carriages have wooden lattice windows, mosaic floors and a seating plan that incorporates sofas. “A luxurious way to travel in Japan for next to nothing,” says Anna Udagawa, co-author of Japan by Rail.
Details: Takeo Onsen to Nagasaki from about $50one-way; holders of the Japan Rail Pass travel for free. Fly to Osaka then take the train to Takeo Onsen.
Palenque to Chichen Itza
We don’t often associate Mexico with rail (though the El Chepe through the Copper Canyon is one of the greatest train journeys on the planet). That could change this year with the opening of the first stretch of the Tren Maya, a vast project aiming to link all the main sites of interest on the Yucatan Peninsula by rail, making them much easier to visit. The line due to open in December will connect Palenque with Chichen Itza – both famous for Mayan ruins – passing through the Yucatan capital of Merida and winding up on the beaches of Cancun. In years to come the line will stretch down to the party town of Playa del Carmen and the ocean-facing Mayan temples at Tulum.
Details: Trips on the Tren Maya are likely to be modestly priced and bookable through specialist operator Journey Latin America.
Brussels to Berlin
The regeneration of Europe’s sleeper train services will gain fresh impetus on May 25 with the start of a service linking Brussels and Berlin via Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam and the introduction of a new operator, European Sleeper, a Belgian-Dutch venture. Choose between an ultra-budget seat, a slot in a four to six-berth couchette, or a sleepers deluxe (maximum three beds). A departure at 7.22pm gets into Berlin at 6.48am, in good time for breakfast.
Details: Brussels to Berlin from €49 ($80; seat), €79 (couchette) and €149 (sleepers deluxe) one-way.
London to Venice
This tour by London-based Tailor Made Rail seeks to extend the journey from London to Venice over a leisurely 10 days and at an affordable price. There are stops in Paris, Lausanne, Innsbruck, Munich and Cologne and passages through mountain scenery (in Switzerland and Germany) combined with cityscapes and the sheer drama of arrival by train into Cologne (for the cathedral) and La Serenissima herself. The aim is to make the travelling as relaxed as possible, with almost no stressful same-day connections. La dolce vita indeed.
Details: From £1499 a person, including rail travel and nine nights’ hotel accommodation.
La Coruna to Portugal
Another well-priced, well-paced tour, this one is packed with cultural, historical and culinary excitement. A series of rail journeys will take you from the ancient lighthouse city of Spain’s La Coruna along the sacred pilgrim’s trail to Santiago de Compostela down through the Galician fishing port of Vigo before crossing into Portugal for the delights of Porto and a wonderfully scenic train journey along the vineyard-lined Douro Valley.
Details:Eleven nights from £1825 a person, including return flights from London, accommodation, all rail travel and some excursions.
Krakow to Vilnius
Remember when you could travel all the way through central and eastern Europe for next to nothing? This new route between Krakow and Vilnius, launched in December, recalls those times. Though services to the Baltic states have historically been hampered by Soviet-era gauges that are wider than the standard ones of Poland and western Europe, this journey takes you from the edge of the Tatra mountains and the magnificent city of Krakow to the skyscrapers of Warsaw and bison-rich forests around Bialystok. Then it’s on to Lithuania and the medieval wonders of Kaunas and Vilnius. It lasts just over 12 hours, with a quick change of train in Mockava, and provides a tantalising glimpse of a future – at the end of the decade – when it should be possible to take the train all the way to Tallinn.
Details: One-way Krakow to Vilnius from €30.
Cote d’Azur to Nice
Like the idea of slow travel but looking for a few more creature comforts? This gentle meander through the French countryside and along the Cote d’Azur on some of the lesser-used local lines should fit the bill. There are stays in the spa town of Vichy, Nimes (the “French Rome”), Avignon, Marseilles and a host of Riviera delights on the way to Nice. The itinerary, by British operator Original Travel, includes boat trips, a masterclass in perfume-making and a trip on the Train des Merveilles (Train of Wonders) taking you deep into the Alpes-Maritimes and the Vallee des Merveilles. Magnifique.
Details: Eleven nights from £3400 a person, including all train travel from London, choice of accommodation, tours and experiences.
Lucern to St Moritz
The Golden Pass Express was introduced only in December, taking passengers from the jazz vibes of Montreux, past lakes, through mountain passes and the super-swish resort of Gstaad before reaching Interlaken, just over three hours alter.
Details: From 20 Swiss francs ($33), one way. Railbookers 10-day Best of Switzerland trip from Lucern to St Moritz includes the Golden Pass Express plus the famed Glacier and Bernina trains; from $3949 a person, twin-share.
Londonderry to Coleraine
Michael Palin described the route between the walled city of Londonderry and Coleraine as “one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the world”. It’s short (40 minutes) but long on visuals – along the banks of the River Foyle and its estuary and past the dunes of Benone Strand and the coast at Castlerock. Coleraine it is but a hop to the Giant’s Causeway. On the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, this journey enables a wider exploration north and south of the border.
Details:Londonderry to Coleraine from £15 one-way.
New Zealand
There are three standout train journeys in NZ – the Northern Explorer linking Auckland and Wellington; the Coastal Pacific between Picton and Christchurch; and the TranzAl- pine between Christchurch and Greymouth, which crosses the South Island and affords spectacular views of the peaks of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.
NZ-based Loco Journeys offers independent options, including a Three Great Rail Journeys itinerary between Auckland or Wellington and Christchurch (or vice-versa), with accommodation and transfers.
Details: From $NZ1499 ($1387) a person, depending on seasonal availability. Its escorted 13-day Ultimate NZ Train Journey includes the top trio of scenic options and an exclusive charter. Departs May 4; $NZ6795.
THE TIMES
More to the story
Adelaide-based design firm Woods Bagot has been appointed by luxury rail operator Journey Beyond to update and revamp the decor of carriages on its rail fleet. The company refreshed
the Platinum Service offering on The Ghan, which runs between Adelaide and Darwin via Alice Springs, in 2019. This latest project will include a redesign of Journey Beyond’s Gold cabins across The Ghan, Indian Pacific trans-continental route between Sydney and Perth, and the seasonal Brisbane-Adelaide Great Southern offering. Indigenous art and sense of country are at the forefront of the new look, with a rich palette drawn from hues of earth and desert species inspired by Albert Namatjira’s paintings of central Australia. Aside from accommodation, included in the redesign mix are the operator’s Outback Explorer Lounge social hubs and Queen Adelaide Restaurants across all its train journeys. Also featured in the redesign is the work of Melbourne-based upholstery business Willie Weston, which transforms the work of contemporary First Nations artists into textiles for commercial use. More than $10m is being invested in the project and Woods Bagot principal Rosina Di Maria says initial prototypes are under construction, with the first carriages to feature the new design “expected to be under way before year’s end”.
SUSAN KUROSAWA
