There is an undeniable allure to the best train journeys in the world: since the dawn of time, the romance of rail travel has seduced poets, captivated novelists, and offered the perfect backdrop for filmmakers to capture fleeting friendships, forbidden romances, and all sorts of adventures and hustles. A ticket not only grants you permission to board, but access to the lives of other people. The train makes us travel shoulder to shoulder and in a deeply personal way, beyond the merely physical. Aboard the carriage, passengers debate politics on a Finnish train, share a bunk with strangers on a Trans-Siberian overnight, and savor samosas in the many bustling carriages of India, while outside the window the world speeds by in a blur, a film of rivers turning into oceans, deserts giving way to mountains, and sprawling cities melting into the darkness as the sun sets.
Now that climate change has become a widely acknowledged concern and travelers seek more mindful and slower ways to move around the world, trains have come back into vogue, and with renewed vigor. Night trains are in the midst of a full revival, and the old glories have never been in higher demand. From everyday urban routes to glamorous tourist itineraries, several rail services have earned iconic status for their scenery, their history, or their place in popular culture. The Doğu Express of Turkey, which in its time was a migratory train carrying agricultural workers and military personnel, is now filled with young Turks who traverse its more than 1,200 kilometers in winter, decorate the compartments with Christmas lights, and celebrate baklava picnics, börek, and sausages; from the glass-domed coaches of the Rocky Mountaineer, travelers can watch Canada’s turquoise lakes reflect the surrounding snow-capped peaks like mirrors; the Easter & Oriental Express by Belmond returns after a pause to zigzag through Malaysia’s rainforest jungles, while the Seven Stars Kyushu in Japan only accepts reservations through a lottery system, as coveted is a seat on this opulent train. And, if you’re one of those who think trains aren’t as valued in the American continent as in Europe or Asia, here’s an example that may change your mind: the California Zephyr, the longest route in America, crosses seven states, traverses Colorado’s canyons and then passes into Utah, where the sun lights up its rocky plateaus as if they were on fire. Enjoy the unhurried clack of the Darjeeling Toy Train as it winds along the Himalaya’s foothills or the sway of the Rovos Rail that rocks you to sleep as it ventures into the night over South Africa… —Monisha Rajesh, author of Moonlight Express: Around the World By Night Train
