Forever on Track: Celebrating the Wonderful World of Rail
“In a train you're in the landscape, but not of the landscape – observing everything as you pass through, unimpeded, along the rails.”
Tim Richards, Heading South
Where would we be without rail? Since the first steam locomotive rumbled along a track in South Wales in 1804, railways have set a course for humanity, creating wealth, status and power for people and places wherever lines are laid.
The railway began life as a workhorse on wheels, hauling hope and opportunity in the form of produce between cities. Rail quickly touched virtually every aspect of life, forever changing the way we live. Until the success of the steam train, London’s milk was provided by cows living in basements throughout the great city.
The arrival of passenger travel saw trains go from being appreciated to loved. Their popularity saw a new industry emerge – the travel agency. The corridors the railroad created for freight took people on new adventures and created an enduring love affair. Passion for trains themselves, their rhythmic movement, their unrivalled elegance, their charm, is as important as any cargo the machines themselves carry and as prominent in their story as their commercial value.
The first half of the 20th century was the golden age of passenger travel before it fell away to the spread of the highway and the glamour of air travel. But trains never really went away. The ease, comfort and elegance of train travel is perfect for the world today. Travelmarvel’s Great Rail Journeys celebrate the world of rail, encompassing the history, adventure and magic of train travel all over the world.
Swiss Rail
The 14-day Grand Alpine Explorer is a celebration of the magic of rail travel across iconic stretches of track in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and, briefly, Italy. The centrepiece of the trip is a journey on the world’s slowest express service, the Glacier Express, from St Moritz to Brig. Carving through the colossal magnificence of the Swiss Alps, the Express is the epitome of slow travel, whistling its way through countless mountain tunnels and across the famed Landwasser Viaduct as it climbs all the way to the Oberalp Pass some 2,000 metres into the Alps. You’ll also ride the Zugspitze Railway, which ascends the summit of Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany, and climb the iconic Jungfrau Railway to Europe’s highest railway station.
Scottish Rail
The Edinburgh, The Highlands and Islands holiday is a rail enthusiasts dream, crossing the unique landscapes of Scotland on a return journey from Edinburgh. Hop aboard the Jacobite Steam Train, made famous as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films, and ride along the picturesque West Highland and Kyle lines, crossing the Glenfinnan viaduct, a 21-arched marvel of Victorian engineering as it curves around the waters of the Loch Shiel.
Nordic and Swedish Rail
Marvel at the ambition of early railways on the Arctic Circle Express trip. Starting in Sweden, travel though Lapland on the Inlandsbanan Railway before embarking a on special journey aboard the Ofoten Railway, one of the northernmost tracks ever laid and a shining example of opportunity of rail. Largely built by hand, the line cuts a breathtaking passage through wild and beautiful landscapes before blasting straight through mountainsides from Sweden across the Arctic Circle and into Norway. The trip includes journeys on the Flam Railway, one of the steepest in the world, and the beautiful ride to Bergen, the cultural heart of Norway.
Japan Rail
Japan’s bullet train network is a modern masterpiece, linking worlds old and new across the country. The 12-day Discovering Japan holiday explores much of the network, travelling from Tokyo to Osaka. You’ll also journey along the picturesque narrow-gauge line from Tokyo to Odawara aboard a comfortable and spacious Romancecar train and travel in style to Mt Fuji’s Fifth Station with views of the iconic mountain’s snow-capped peak. The Hida Train, with its wide view windows offering a panoramic view, is a highlight of the journey and follows the Miyagawa River across the Japanese countryside through the Japanese Alps.
USA Rail
Wind across the USA from San Francisco to New York on the incredible Trans-American Rail Journey, featuring a behind-the-scenes tour of Grand Central Station and journeys on the incredible Grand Canyon and Durango and Silverton railways. Glide past incredibly diverse scenery as you make your way from coast to coast, with stops at three of the USA’s most famous natural wonders; Yosmite National Park Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls.New Zealand Rail
And yet, perhaps the world’s best place for rail lies a little closer to home. New Zealand spectacular scenery is seen best by train and the wonderful New Zealand Rail Adventure, guides you through the very heart of Aotearoa, the ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’.
Highlights include a ride on the Glenbrook Steam Train, a unique self-drive rail experience and picturesque trips aboard the Coastal Pacific and perhaps the greatest rail journey of them all, the TranzAlpine, which bridges the east and west coasts of South Island, beginning in cosmopolitan Christchurch and taking five hours to travel a little more than 200 kilometres to the old mining town of Greymouth. It tracks the glacier-fed Waimakariri River before boldly launching into the crossing of Arthur’s Pass in the heart of the glorious Southern Alps.
Start Planning
Discovering Japan
Tokyo to Osaka
12 Days
15 Meals
Trans-American Rail Journey
San Francisco to New York City
17 Days
Grand Alpine Explorer
Munich to Zurich
14 Days
22 Meals
5 Countries
Edinburgh, the Highlands and Islands
Edinburgh Return
9 Days
16 Meals
Arctic Circle Express
Stockholm to Oslo
17 Days
27 Meals
2 Countries
Discovering Japan
Tokyo to Osaka
12 Days
15 Meals
Trans-American Rail Journey
San Francisco to New York City
17 Days
Grand Alpine Explorer
Munich to Zurich
14 Days
22 Meals
5 Countries
Edinburgh, the Highlands and Islands
Edinburgh Return
9 Days
16 Meals
Arctic Circle Express
Stockholm to Oslo
17 Days
27 Meals
2 Countries