Bests scenic train trips around the world

1.Gems of India Tour, Maharajas’ Express:

 

British tour operator Cox & Kings spared no expense when it joined forces with Indian Railways to create the most luxurious train in the world. Unveiled in 2010, and limited to 88 passengers on each trip, the train features lavish private suites with marble baths and panoramic windows.

On the four-day, three-night Gems of India loop, which starts and ends in Delhi, passengers make stops to visit the resplendent Taj Mahal at Agra, take a tiger safari at Ranthambore National Park, and shop and watch an elephant-polo match in Jaipur. Along the way, passengers can marvel at the Hindu temples, village roads plied by camel carts and rivers lined with fishing boats.

2.Classic Whisky Journey, The Royal Scotsman:

 As well as offering passengers more than 30 single malt scotches to choose from on board, The Royal Scotsman (operated by Orient-Express) runs a five-day Classic Whisky Journey that explores every aspect of Scotland’s most famous spirit.

   

After departing from Edinburgh, the train makes stops at some of the country’s top scotch distilleries, including Glen Ord and Glenlivet; then, heading east along the coast, it passes through the seaside villages of Carnoustie, Arbroath and Aberdeen before arriving in the heart of the Speyside whisky region. The line then skirts Loch Luichart, the Torridon Mountains and the famous Eilean Donan Castle, where you can savor the magnificent views with (naturally) a glass in hand.

3.The Ghan, Australia’s Great Southern Rail:

 

Stretching 1,846 miles from Adelaide in South Australia to Darwin at the continent’s northeastern tip, the Ghan brings train travelers straight through the “red center” of the Australian outback. Among the landscapes plumbed on the three-day, two-night jaunt are vast desert plains, the sere red-rock Flinders Ranges and the dazzling waterfalls and river gorges of Nitmiluk National Park.

Passengers make stopovers in Alice Springs (where they can take a camel trek or browse in Aboriginal art galleries), the opal-mining town of Coober Pedy (which served as the backdrop for the postapocalyptic Mad Max films) and the awe-inspiring Katherine Gorge. In the evenings, they retire to their cozy sleeping quarters after dining on locally raised beef and locally grown wine in the dining car.

4.Zermatt to San Moritz Route, Glacier Express:

Seeing some of the Swiss Alps’ most spectacular mountain scenery by rail doesn’t require an overnight trip: An eight-hour ride on the Glacier Express fits the bill beautifully. 

The train, which runs one-way between the famed ski resorts of Zermatt and St. Moritz (some 180 miles), passes through 91 tunnels and across 291 bridges on the way — all at an altitude higher than 6,500 feet. Sweetening the deal is the dining car, where passengers can enjoy fine Swiss cheeses, chocolates and wine along with the views.

5.Canadian Rockies Getaway, Rocky Mountaineer:

One of the most scenic train trips in North America, this nine-day loop out of Vancouver brings you to the stunning snowcapped peaks, glaciers, cobalt-colored lakes and plentiful wildlife (bear, moose, elk, bald eagles) of the Canadian Rockies.

   

Aboard the train, both the SilverLeaf and GoldLeaf services offer a glass-domed roof so you can take in the mountain splendor in style. Instead of sleeper cars, guests spend nights at resorts in the region (which may include premier Fairmont properties at Lake Louise and Banff Hot Springs). Also included is a drive on the legendary Icefields Parkway to the Athabasca Glacier, a helicopter tour from Kananaskis and a gondola ride in Banff.