Journey type

Engineering

Published train experiences of the engineering kind, with route, season and booking intelligence for each.

50 published journeys

A Durango and Silverton narrow gauge steam train in the Animas canyon.

United States · Scenic

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Coal-fired steam on three-foot track through the Animas gorge

3h 30m · Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Scenic
Heritage
Steam

Photo: snowpeak · CC BY 2.0

China–Laos Railway train crossing the Mekong River north of Luang Prabang.

China → Laos · Scenic

Kunming to Vientiane on the China–Laos Railway

Yunnan to the Mekong on a brand-new cross-border railway

9h 34m · China State Railway Group (China Railway)

Scenic
Engineering
Epic

Photo: Julia Denton-Barker · CC BY-SA 2.0

Unbranded long-distance passenger train crossing the Qinghai–Tibet plateau beside a high-altitude lake.

China · Scenic

Shanghai to Lhasa: train Z164/Z165

The longest run in China: 4,372 km and two nights to Tibet

45h 03m · China State Railway Group (China Railway)

Scenic
Sleeper
Engineering

AI-generated editorial illustration by Rail Atlas

White Pass & Yukon Route locomotives and coaches climb the mountains above Skagway.

United States → Canada · Scenic

White Pass & Yukon Route from Skagway

Narrow gauge over the Klondike gold rush pass

2h 45m · White Pass & Yukon Route

Scenic
Heritage
Engineering

Photo: Fred Renspies · CC BY 2.0

An Al Boraq high-speed train stands at Tangier Ville station.

Morocco · Engineering

Al Boraq: Tangier to Casablanca

Africa's first high-speed line, along the Atlantic coast

2h 10m · ONCF

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: Phil Richards from London, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0

A Madrid–Seville AVE service passes through the Andalusian landscape near Adamuz.

Spain · Engineering

AVE: Madrid to Seville

Spain's original high-speed line, Madrid to Andalusia

2h 35m · Renfe

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: Pablo Nieto Abad · CC BY-SA 2.0

Cumbres & Toltec locomotive 484 prepares to depart Osier with its excursion train.

United States · Scenic

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

64 miles of steam over Cumbres Pass and Toltec Gorge

7h 45m · Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

Scenic
Heritage
Steam

Photo: Xboxtravis7992 · CC BY-SA 4.0

A Haramain high-speed train running through open country between Makkah and Madinah.

Saudi Arabia · Engineering

Haramain High Speed Railway: Makkah to Madinah

Makkah to Madinah across the Hejaz at 300 km/h

2h 30m · Saudi Arabia Railways

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: Saudi Press Agency · CC BY-SA 4.0

An ICE train crossing a bridge at Strullendorf on the Berlin-Munich high-speed corridor.

Germany · Engineering

ICE Sprinter: Berlin to Munich

Germany's two biggest cities in under four hours

3h 55m · Deutsche Bahn

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: Reinhold Möller Ermell · CC BY-SA 4.0

United States · Heritage

Mount Washington Cog Railway

The world's first mountain rack railway, opened 1869

3h · Mount Washington Cog Railway

Heritage
Steam
Engineering

Photo: King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0

A train on the Ofoten Line between Narvik and Kiruna.

Norway → Sweden · Scenic

Ofoten Line: Narvik to Kiruna

Arctic iron-ore country, from the fjord to Lapland

3h · SJ Norge

Scenic
Engineering
Epic

Photo: Trond Blomlie · CC BY-SA 3.0

An E6 series Komachi Shinkansen crossing a bridge in autumn colour.

Japan · Scenic

Akita Shinkansen: Tokyo to Akita

A mini-shinkansen over the mountains to the Sea of Japan

3h 37m · JR East

Scenic
Engineering
High-speed

Photo: 掬茶 · CC BY-SA 4.0

A CR200J3 train crossing Mianshan Bridge on the Emei–Guangtong section of the Chengdu–Kunming railway.

China · Scenic

Chengdu to Kunming High-Speed Railway

Sichuan to Yunnan across the mountains of the south-west

7h 30m · China State Railway Group (China Railway)

Scenic
Engineering
High-speed

Photo: 来斤小仓鼠吧 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Unbranded green-and-white high-speed train in the wooded landscape of southern Hokkaido.

Japan · Engineering

Hokkaido Shinkansen: Shin-Aomori to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto

Honshu to Hokkaido through the Seikan Tunnel

1h 01m · JR Hokkaido

Engineering
High-speed

AI-generated editorial illustration by Rail Atlas

An E7 series Shinkansen working a Tanigawa service on the Joetsu Shinkansen.

Japan · Engineering

Joetsu Shinkansen: Tokyo to Niigata

Across the spine of Honshu to the snow country

1h 29m · JR East

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: MaedaAkihiko · CC BY-SA 4.0

An N700-7000 series Sakura Shinkansen running in daylight.

Japan · Engineering

Kyushu Shinkansen: Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo

The length of Kyushu in under ninety minutes

1h 19m · JR Kyushu

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: MaedaAkihiko · CC BY-SA 4.0

Modern high-speed train emerging from a tunnel in the forested Qinling corridor.

China · Scenic

Xi'an to Chengdu High-Speed Railway

Through the Qinling mountains, mostly in tunnel

4h 07m · China State Railway Group (China Railway)

Scenic
Engineering
High-speed

AI-generated editorial illustration by Rail Atlas

A train on the Qinghai–Tibet Railway crossing the Tibetan plateau.

China · Scenic

Xining to Lhasa: the Qinghai–Tibet Railway

The highest railway in the world, across the Tibetan plateau

20h 26m · China State Railway Group (China Railway)

Scenic
Sleeper
Engineering

Photo: Windmemories / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

A TCDD HT80000 high-speed train on the viaduct at Bilecik on the Ankara-Istanbul line.

Turkey · Engineering

YHT: Ankara to Istanbul

Anatolia's plateau to the Bosphorus by high-speed train

4h 10m · TCDD Taşımacılık

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: Kabelleger / David Gubler · CC BY-SA 4.0

A Renfe Class 103 AVE high-speed train, the type used between Madrid and Barcelona.

Spain · Engineering

AVE: Madrid to Barcelona

Spain's flagship high-speed corridor

2h 30m · Renfe

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: Peter elektro · CC BY-SA 3.0

A CR400AF Fuxing trainset working service G6 departing from Shanghai.

China · Engineering

Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway

1,318 km between China's two great cities at 350 km/h

4h 18m · China State Railway Group (China Railway)

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: MNXANL / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

A Eurostar train on High Speed 1 near Sellindge in Kent.

United Kingdom → France · Engineering

Eurostar: London to Paris

Under the Channel, city centre to city centre in 2h16m

2h 16m · Eurostar

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: Julian P Guffogg · CC BY-SA 2.0

An ICE train on the Lahn valley viaduct at Limburg on the Cologne-Frankfurt high-speed line.

Germany · Engineering

ICE: Cologne to Frankfurt

A steep, fast hour through the hills above the Rhine

1h 05m · Deutsche Bahn

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: DIZer · CC BY-SA 3.0

A Korail KTX-Cheongryong high-speed train running on the Gyeongbu corridor at Guro in Seoul.

South Korea · Engineering

KTX: Seoul to Busan

The length of South Korea in a morning

2h 15m · Korail (Korea Railroad Corporation)

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: Takeshi Aida · CC BY-SA 2.0

A 500 series Sanyo Shinkansen train runs through the countryside of western Japan.

Japan · Engineering

Sanyo Shinkansen: Shin-Osaka to Hakata

Osaka to Kyushu along the Inland Sea corridor

2h 21m · West Japan Railway Company (JR West)

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: JobanLineE531 at Japanese Wikipedia · CC BY 3.0

A Taiwan High Speed Rail 700T train on the elevated main line through green hills.

Taiwan · Engineering

Taiwan High Speed Rail: Taipei to Zuoying

350 km down Taiwan's west coast, turn up and go

1h 36m · Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC)

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: Rsa · CC BY-SA 3.0

An SNCF TGV crosses the Cize-Bolozon viaduct over open French countryside.

France · Engineering

TGV INOUI: Paris to Lyon

The line that proved high-speed rail in Europe

1h 43m · SNCF Voyageurs

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: Kabelleger / David Gubler · CC BY-SA 3.0

An N700S series Shinkansen on the Tokaido line at Higashi-Tagonoura, with Mount Fuji rising behind it.

Japan · Engineering

Tokaido Shinkansen: Tokyo to Shin-Osaka

Japan's original high-speed line, still its busiest

2h 21m · Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central)

Engineering
High-speed

Photo: Takeshi Aida / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

Taiwan · Scenic

Alishan Forest Railway

A century-old forest railway climbing from Chiayi into Alishan.

3h · Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office

Scenic
Heritage
Engineering

Photo: Huaiwun / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

India · Scenic

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

The original Himalayan toy train through tea country.

7h 20m · Indian Railways

Scenic
Heritage
Steam

Photo: Vikramjit Kakati · CC BY-SA 3.0

A Thai Railways passenger train crossing Wang Pho Viaduct on the Death Railway en route to Nam Tok in Thailand.

Thailand · Scenic

Death Railway to Nam Tok

A working Thai local train over the surviving River Kwai railway to Nam Tok.

5h · State Railway of Thailand

Scenic
Heritage
Engineering

Photo: calflier001 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

India · Scenic

Kalka–Shimla Railway

Ninety-six kilometres of tunnels, curves and Himalayan engineering.

5h 05m · Indian Railways

Scenic
Heritage
Engineering

Photo: Joyson92 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Australia · Scenic

Kuranda Scenic Railway

Rainforest, waterfalls and century-old carriages above Cairns.

1h 55m · Queensland Rail Travel

Scenic
Heritage
Engineering

Photo: JustARandomEditor123 · CC BY-SA 4.0

India · Scenic

Nilgiri Mountain Railway

Steam and rack railway climbing into the Nilgiri Hills.

4h 50m · Indian Railways

Scenic
Heritage
Steam

Photo: Stephan Niewolik / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0

Argentina · Scenic

Tren a las Nubes

Ride above 4,200 metres to one of the world’s great railway viaducts.

1h · Tren a las Nubes SFTSE

Scenic
Engineering
Excursion

Photo: Dr.Haus / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Austria · Scenic

Arlberg Railway

Austria’s classic east–west Alpine main line through the Arlberg.

1h 15m · ÖBB

Scenic
Engineering

Photo: Liberaler Humanist / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

A Bayerische Zugspitzbahn train at Grainau below the snow-covered Wetterstein mountains.

Germany · Scenic

Bavarian Zugspitze Railway

Cogwheel rail from Garmisch into Germany’s highest mountain landscape.

1h 15m · Bayerische Zugspitzbahn Bergbahn AG

Scenic
Engineering
Excursion

Photo: Phil Richards from London, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0

Switzerland → Italy · Scenic

Bernina Express

From glaciers to palms across the Swiss Alps

4h · Rhaetian Railway

Scenic
Panoramic
Engineering

Photo: Christoph Radtke / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0

Slovenia · Scenic

Bohinj Railway

A working Alpine railway through Slovenia’s Julian Alps and the Bohinj tunnel.

1h 30m · Slovenske železnice

Scenic
Heritage
Engineering

Photo: Simon Legner ( User:simon04 ) / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Switzerland · Scenic

Gornergrat Railway

Matterhorn views from one of Europe’s highest rack railways.

33m · Gornergrat Bahn

Scenic
Engineering
Excursion

Photo: Rail Away TV / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Switzerland · Scenic

Gotthard Panorama Express

Steamer, historic Gotthard railway and Ticino in one day.

5h 30m · Swiss Federal Railways

Scenic
Panoramic
Engineering

Photo: Nelso Silva from Porto, Portugal · CC BY-SA 2.0

Jungfrau Railway train at Kleine Scheidegg with the Eiger north face behind it.

Switzerland · Scenic

Jungfrau Railway to Jungfraujoch

A railway into the world of glaciers at 3,454 metres.

41m · Jungfrau Railways

Scenic
Engineering
Excursion

Photo: Maria Feofilova / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

A Pilatus cogwheel train climbing the mountain railway.

Switzerland · Scenic

Pilatus Cogwheel Railway

The world’s steepest cogwheel railway, up to 48 percent.

27m · Pilatus Bahnen

Scenic
Engineering
Excursion

Photo: Maria Feofilova / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Serbia · Scenic

Šargan Eight

A narrow-gauge figure-eight carved into the mountains of western Serbia.

2h · Srbija Voz

Scenic
Heritage
Engineering

Photo: Herbert Ortner / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0

A Schneebergbahn train climbing the open mountainside above Baumgartner.

Austria · Scenic

Schneeberg Railway

A salamander-shaped cog train to Lower Austria’s highest mountain.

40m · Niederösterreich Bahnen

Scenic
Engineering
Excursion

Photo: Liberaler Humanist · CC BY-SA 3.0

Austria · Scenic

Semmering Railway

Ride the railway that proved main-line trains could cross the Alps.

1h · ÖBB

Scenic
Heritage
Engineering

Photo: C. Stadler / Bwag / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

United Kingdom · Scenic

Settle–Carlisle Line

Victorian railway engineering across the Yorkshire Dales.

1h 40m · Northern

Scenic
Heritage
Engineering

Photo: Smiley.toerist / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

United Kingdom · Scenic

Snowdon Mountain Railway

Rack railway to the roof of Wales.

3h 30m · Snowdon Mountain Railway

Scenic
Engineering
Excursion

Photo: Porius1 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

France · Scenic

Train Jaune

A little yellow regional train high in the French Pyrenees.

3h 10m · SNCF Voyageurs

Scenic
Heritage
Engineering

Photo: M McBey / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

A Wendelstein Rack Railway railcar passing the Hohe Mauer between tunnels 5 and 6 in Bavaria.

Germany · Scenic

Wendelstein Cog Railway

A half-hour cogwheel climb from the Bavarian valley floor to the Wendelstein.

25m · Wendelsteinbahn

Scenic
Engineering
Excursion

Photo: Herbert Ortner / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.5

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