“Trains offer a smoother experience than flying – you can board quickly, avoid baggage restrictions and enjoy a comfortable journey,” says Rail Europe CEO Björn Bender. He highlights the appeal of overnight trains to solo travellers who value “saving on hotel costs and travel time”, while families and older travellers appreciate their comfort and convenience. Here are the world’s nine most beautiful rail journeys in 2025, according to Euronews.

Glacier Express Train, Switzerland

Dubbed the “world’s slowest express train”, the narrow-gauge Glacier Express connects St Moritz and Zermatt, offering front-row seats to Swiss alpine scenery on a breathtaking eight-hour journey.

PHOTO: Glacier Express

As the train passes through the mountains, the scenery changes constantly, gradually revealing towering peaks, deep valleys and charming alpine villages. The route passes through 291 bridges and 91 tunnels, each offering a new perspective of the Swiss Alps. The train then climbs to the Oberalp Pass, the highest point on the route, with spectacular views.

Orient Express, Paris to Istanbul

PHOTO: Maxime d'Angeac/Courtesy of Orient Express, Accor

From 2026, Orient Express will add a new experience by inviting visitors to relive the legend on 17 original Orient Express carriages dating back to the 1920s and 1930s. These carriages, once part of the “Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express”, have been meticulously restored and specially decorated. The interiors, crafted by French architect Maxime d’Angeac, feature Art Deco-inspired elements, patterns and exquisite furnishings, ensuring that every detail reflects the elegance of the original Orient Express.

Reunification Express Train, Vietnam

Spanning over 1,700km, the Reunification Railway is the perfect way to experience Vietnam, connecting Hanoi in the north with Ho Chi Minh City in the south. While there is no official train named after it, the journey is a symbol of unity, with a history that dates back to 1936 when the French completed the line.

NGUYEN TA PHONG

Services were interrupted and then resumed on 31 December 1976 as a symbol of reunification. The train journey is as much about experiences as it is about destinations. Travellers will pass misty mountains, peaceful rice paddies and charming coastal towns, with ever-changing scenery outside the window. The slow pace of the train allows you to enjoy Vietnamese snacks, chat with fellow travellers and soak in the buzz of local stops.

Derry/Londonderry to Coleraine, Northern Ireland

PHOTO: Discover Northern Ireland

Hailed by Michael Palin as “one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the world”, this 38-minute journey through Northern Ireland’s misty landscape is short but spectacular. Following the River Foyle out of Derry/Londonderry, the train glides through lush countryside before reaching the Atlantic coast and golden sands of Benone Strand.

Ella Train to Kandy, Sri Lanka

PHOTO: Unsplash

Dubbed one of the world’s most scenic train journeys, the famous seven-hour journey from Ella to Kandy takes you through Sri Lanka’s lush tea country. Towering mountains, cascading waterfalls and rolling green plantations fill the landscape as the train chugs along narrow tracks. You’ll also have the chance to lean out of the windows – a Sri Lankan tradition of train travel.

Rovos Rail, South Africa

PHOTO: irtsociety

Founded in 1989 by South African entrepreneur and train enthusiast Rohan Vos, Rovos Rail has built a reputation as one of the best ways to slow travel across southern Africa, offering a range of multi-day itineraries that showcase some of the continent's most awe-inspiring landscapes.

Rocky Mountaineer, Canada

PHOTO: canadarail

The Rocky Mountaineer, one of North America's most beloved rail journeys, offers four scenic routes through western Canada, the Canadian Rockies and the southwestern United States, where travelers can experience rugged alpine scenery and wildlife only by rail.

TranzAlpine, New Zealand

PHOTO: audleytravel

New Zealand's TranzAlpine is a four-hour rail journey that takes you along this coastline across the South Island from Christchurch to Greymouth. The train offers a front-row seat to some of New Zealand's most dramatic scenery, with rolling plains giving way to gorges, glaciers and the snow-capped Southern Alps.

Ffestiniog Railway, Wales

PHOTO: Visit Wales

Since 1832, the Ffestiniog Railway has been a cornerstone of Welsh heritage, with several routes running through the magnificent Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park. Originally used to transport blue slate from the quarries at Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog harbour, this classic narrow gauge railway now takes passengers on a journey through Welsh history and nature on its flagship The Mountain Spirit.

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