Though the commute into work might not suggest it, travelling by rail can be one of the most thrilling ways to see the world. Some journeys are more impressive than others, however, and are worth travelling huge distances for. And these babies are amongst the best.
The Trans-Siberian Railway
Where: Moscow to Vladivostok, Russia (other routes include Mongolia)
For the ultimate endurance test, the Trans-Siberian is the daddy of epic train adventures. Over the course of six days the train crawls (and it does crawl; none of your fancy bullet trains here) across Russia. In the process, the world's longest railway crosses seven time zones and takes in some of the most monotonous scenery imaginable.
It's the scale that counts, not the variety, however. There's surely no better way to make yourself feel very, very small.
It's not the most luxurious of train journeys, but upgrade to the higher class and there's a good degree of comfort as you take in nearly 10,000km of wilderness.
The Flåmsbana
Where: Flåm to Myrdal, Norway
It only goes for 20km, and the journey takes just under an hour. But for those who want the cool train experience without necessarily spending days on the rails, the Flåmsbana is hard to beat. It starts in the mountains at Myrdal, where glaciers and thick snowfields dot the horizon. From there, it's a steep, winding descent taking in huge waterfalls, stunning valley scenery and picturesque houses.
Over the course of the journey, the train descends 864m and finally pulls up in front of a postcard-shot fjord.
The other bonus is that the Flåm line connects to one of the world's other great train journeys. The Oslo to Bergen line connects the big city with the fjords, traversing some of the most spectacular mountain scenery imaginable on the way.
For more information, visit
ww.flaamsbana.no and
www.visitscandinavia.com.au.
The Glacier Express
Where: Zermatt to St Moritz, Switzerland
Europe's other candidate for the world's best one-day train journey is this extraordinary piece of engineering between two of Switzerland's best-known ski resorts.
The trip takes around seven-and-a-half hours, but you're unlikely to find any passengers counting. Or complaining that they've been misled by the "Express" part of the name.
The figures alone are staggering. There are almost 300 bridges, nearly 100 tunnels and the train climbs up to 2033m above sea level. Much of the time is spent going round in circles — the train has to wind around in a spiral to climb up the mountains.
But with spectacular Alpine scenery on offer pretty much all the way, the gorges, viaducts and glaciers make the extended journey well worth it.For more information, visit www.glacierexpress.ch.
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Where: Various routes, but Paris to Venice is a classic example
The most famous luxury train journey in the world is still going, although — whisper it — it's not quite as prestigious and glamorous as it once was.
The Orient-Express partly got its air of mystique through the famous Agatha Christie book and subsequent film, but we are assured that staff do their best to keep murderous types off the train.
Still, dinner times are high-class feasts, the clientele tends towards the rather snobbish, and for that old-time air of refined sophistication, it's hard to beat. For more information, visit www.orient-express.com.
The Eastern and Oriental Express
Where: Singapore to Bangkok, Thailand
For a novel, more comfortable take on South-East Asia, the Eastern and Oriental is a mighty fine option. The 1900km journey passes through some of the most lush countryside on the planet, with paddy fields and plantations interrupting the thick forest.
The train is run by the same chaps that operate the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, but while the temperatures are considerably stuffier, the atmosphere on board is less so.
The social aspect is strong as well. Passengers are encouraged to bond with each other at meal times, while the on-board pianist ensures that the bar is kept relatively lively. For more information, visit www.orient-express.com.
The Indian Pacific
Where: Perth to Sydney, Australia
Our own true-blue great rail journey easily ranks among the best in the world. The Indian Pacific crosses the Australian continent, taking just under three days to do so. There's a sense of splendid isolation, but with darned good food served in the restaurant cars to keep you going.
From Perth, it's not long before you hit the Nullarbor Plain. And this is the real Nullarbor — not the edge of it that you see when driving around it. The scenery is the same for a whole day, and again when you wake up. But the size of the nothingness is awe-inspiring.
There's also the chance to take in Cook, the quirky water stop with a population of two and a somewhat run-down sand golf course. After that, there are stops in Adelaide and Broken Hill before the final breathtaking stretch over the Blue Mountains to Sydney.
For more information, visit www.gsr.com.au.
Done any other great train trips? Or does the idea bore you to tears? Have your say using the comments form below:
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