If you've taken a particularly beautiful train ride, would you mind telling me about it? I'm especially interested in train rides that have some interesting connection to literature or film (e.g., obviously, the Orient Express). But any unusually beautiful train ride might do. I'm looking for a mixture of very-famous trains and trains no one has ever thought of taking before.
Here are a few I'm thinking of including, based on the pretty photos on the Internet. Have you actually taken one of these trains? Can you confirm or discourage my outsized fantasies about the beauty of the ride? If so, I'd be especially glad to hear from you.
Oslo-BergenMadrid-OviedoBernina ExpressGrutschalp-MurrenLucerne-InterlakenMessina-CataniaKyle of LocalshGlasgow-Fort WilliamBratislava-Stary SmocovicLake Garda-Brenner-SalzburgTrondheim-BodoMiddlesborough-WhitbyMt. Snowdon in WalesThe West Highland Line from Mallaig to GlasgowLe Petit Train Jaune from Pyrenees Orientales via Nice to Limone.Andalusian ExpressLucerne-Interlakenaris-ChamonixLondon-BathDiakofto-KalavritaMadrid-AvilaHiram-Bingham Express from Cuzco to Machu PicchuAlaskan RailroadCooper Canyon RailwayBlue Train from Pretoria to Cape TownGhan from Adelaide to Darwin.Toy Train from Siliguri to DarjeelingQingzang railways from mainland China to LhasaSingapore-BangkokThe Silverton-Durango Narrow GageLa Nariz Del Diablo from Riobamba to AlausiNew Delhi-Jaipur-Jaisalmer-Jodhpur-Agra-DelhiSydney-Perthdney-CairnsSouth Africa-Botswana-Zimbabwe-Zambia-Tanzania
Note to my editor: My commitment to accurate, first-hand reporting is so passionate that if you'd like to reconsider your budget, I will personally undertake to ride every one of these trains, back-to-back, beginning today. I will verify that they are beautiful with my own eyes. That is how hard I will work for you. That is the dedication and professionalism I will bring to my job. All you have to do is pick up the tab.
i think you need a stringer or an editorial assistant or something, claire - it would be far too stressful for you to make all those journeys by yourself! - and you know what? - i'm so kind, generous, and giving that i will offer myself and my time to accompany you - hahahaha - what a GREAT assignment! - i left you my feedback on facebook - i'd *love* to take some trains through africa
ReplyDeleteWe rode Lisbon to Covilha in December of 2007. Mountains and castles and villages!
ReplyDeleteHey Claire,
ReplyDeleteJust saw this post. I am not even sure, if you're still working on it. But one of the most exciting rides I've been on was from Quito to Cotopaxi in Ecuador. They let you ride on top of the train. It's not too fast, not too slow..Amazing scenery ending up at the feet of Cotopaxi, a magnificent volcanic mountain.