The Joy of Trains

If you're a Brit like me, you'll know how we love to knock train travel. It's expensive, slow and doesn't run as often as we'd like. Not to mention the delays.

But look at it another way. You could drive, but that means you doing the work. You have to focus on the road and mostly miss the views. Sure, it might be cheaper and you'll almost certainly get there quicker, but isn't the journey part of the fun?

Sometimes it's good to just slow down and take the long way round for a change. Train lines cross some of the wildest, most beautiful parts of the world. I get to see this view every time I take the train to Manchester (weather dependent) because the route goes through the always beautiful Hope Valley.

From seeing New Forest ponies on the train to Bournemouth to crossing mountains in New Zealand, you see so much more when you take a train instead. And when it all goes wrong and the train gets delayed or you're stranded at a station (looking at you, Sheffield, with you shit signals), that's all just another part of the adventure, right?

So, in recognition of how lovely a train journey can be (discounting the Tube, because I’m never going to like the Tube), here are some of the most scenic railways from around the world.

1. North Yorkshire Moors Railway, UK

I love the Yorkshire Moors. It’s a beautiful area and if you don’t fancy taking a stroll along any of the numerous tracks, you can sit back and enjoy the view from the iconic North York Moors Railway. Pulled by both steam and diesel locomotives (great when your dad’s a bit into his trains and obviously not because I quite like steam trains too…), this line runs through the valleys from Pickering on the southern edge of the moors to Whitby on the coast to the north. For added pop culture value, you can hop off the train at Goathland, the setting for the Heartbeat’s Aidensfield and make sure to check out the station itself – Harry Potter fans might recognise it as Hogsmeade station from the films.

If you don’t fancy the train, there’s a path which follows the line at least between Grosmont and Goathland with parking at both ends, though Grosmont tends to be less busy.

2. TranzAlpine, New Zealand

The Southern Alps, spanning the length of New Zealand’s South Island, are crossed by only 3 passes. Now, you could hire a car and drive one of them, but in winter especially the roads can be closed for hours and days. Why not take the train instead? Sit back, relax and enjoy the view. The TranzAlpine is clearly a tourist train, not aimed at locals travelling between east and west, but don’t let that put you off. There’s huge windows in the coaches, audio commentary at various points and the train goes at the right sort of speed for you to take photos and really take in the view.

Plus, let’s not forget the wonderful open-air car. Who wouldn’t want to get “bitch-slapped by nature” in New Zealand?

3. Indian Pacific, Australia

Australia is vast. Something you don’t always realise from looking at maps. But it’s huge. Really fucking huge. Getting from east to west can take ages. Now, you could hop on a flight and the views are pretty good, although for great flight views in Oz I’d recommend the Alice Springs-Adelaide route because oh my god, Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is beautiful from above.

But for getting across from Sydney to Perth, I’m going to try the train. Well, at least from Adelaide to Perth. The Indian Pacific cuts in an almost straight line right across the desert and scrublands of Nullarbor. It takes three days to make the trip and sounds like a great way of kicking back for a few days. Sure, I could take a flight and be in Perth in a few hours, but it’s the experience that counts, right? Besides, I’ve never taken an overnight train before. New adventures ahoy!

4. Cusco-Aguas Calientes, Peru

Machu Picchu is something of a Peruvian must-do, but how to get there? The nearest big town is Cusco, nestled in the mountains a few hours away. The nearest settlement to the ruins themselves is Aguas Calientes, a 5 mile drive away. I don’t drive, so the options are limited to bus or train. Bus is cheaper. Train is prettier and probably more comfortable. Train it is, then.

PeruRail run three different trains from just outside Cusco, varying in luxury, but all take the same route through the valley, winding alongside the river before reaching Aguas Calientes, the end of the line and jumping off point for a shuttle bus to Machu Picchu. There’s also the option of stopping at Ollantaytambo, which looks like a beautiful little town and well worth exploring.

5. Transpennine, UK

Probably the only one on this list that’s not aimed at tourists. The Transpennine runs between the east and west coasts of the UK from various stations. It’s also the train I take most often since it runs from my hometown to Manchester, where my mum lives. You’d think a journey you make often would get boring, but it’s such a scenic route that I always end up spotting new things. The line is at its best on the stretch between Sheffield and Manchester where it climbs up into the Peak District National Park, winding through the Hope Valley. You could hope off here at Hope, Edale or Hathersage and go walking – some gorgeous tracks up here. From the train you can also see Mam Tor, overlooking the valley.


As one final point, I wrote a big chunk of this while I was on the train to Manchester. Wouldn't have been able to do that in a car - I'd have got travel sick.

Do you enjoy train travel? Been on any rickety old rails? Why not share in the comments below?