Combining leisurely and luxurious travel, rail journeys are becoming more and more popular as standalone holiday packages. In a way they are the land-based equivalent of the cruise – watching the world go by whilst being wined and dined – but without the fear of being left feeling green around the gills. You could say they’re a toot.
Some of the world’s best railway journeys can take your breath away – literally so in the case of the new Qinghai-Tibet route, that climbs up to altitudes of 5,000 metres on its 2,703 mile trek. Not only a cost efficient form of transport – prices are as low as £39 for the epic 51-hour journey, some of the scenery on offer is out of this world. The highlight comes as the route broaches the Tangula Pass and crosses the Tibetan plateau against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.
Indeed, Asia is blessed with wonderful railway journeys, the most famous of which is undeniably the Eastern & Orient Express. This 1,200-mile journey links spotless Singapore with buzzing Bangkok, via lush tropical countryside dotted with palms, rubber plantations and paddy fields. And if you can tear yourself away from the window long enough to eat, then there is a wonderful multi-cultural menu of food to feast your eyes on too. www.magic-of-the-orient.com offers tailor-made trips.
Alternatively, you can be treated like royalty by taking residence in the ‘Palace on Wheels’ in India, so called because of the opulence of the carriage decoration and the outstanding service you receive from the moment you step on board to disembarking in your journey across the deserts of Rajasthan. Golden Chariot is along the same lines and offers two different circuits of southern India, the most enticing being the eight-day journey between Bangalore and Goa.
If such a dignified pace is not to your liking, then the eye-watering speeds produced by Japan’s ‘Bullet Train’ on its Tokyo-Kyoto route should prove just the ticket. Blink and you’ll miss the gorgeous views of Mount Fuji as the Shinkansen, to give it its proper title, can reach speeds of up to 300 km/hour. Despite the rush, there’s no compromise on on-board service though. While the train itself is one of the most advanced on the planet, the courteous staff are something of a throw-back to a bygone age with their impeccable manners and attention to detail. For information on Asia as a whole check out http://www.freedomasia.com/ or, for Japan-specific info try www.seejapan.co.uk
While Darjeeling is infamous for its tea, the town is also the final destination on one of the quaintest narrow gauge steam railway lines you’ll find in the world. Look on in awe as you chug past beautifully restored vintage stations through the lower reaches of the Eastern Himalayas in West Bengal between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling – all for less than the price of a pint of milk if you’re prepared to travel second class.
