Scenic Train Adventures: Best Rail Journeys 2026

Updated for 2026 — Accurate as of February 2026.

Train travel is experiencing a genuine renaissance. In Europe, the high-speed rail network is expanding aggressively — new overnight train routes and daytime scenic corridors are opening as governments respond to the climate credentials of rail travel over flying. In North America, the Rocky Mountaineer and Amtrak’s long-distance trains have rediscovered their adventure travel identity. In Asia and South America, narrow-gauge mountain railways in landscapes of extraordinary beauty carry passengers through terrain that roads cannot reach.

The best scenic rail journeys offer something no other mode of transport can provide: the opportunity to watch a landscape unfold at a human pace, from a large window, while someone else handles the navigation. The finest scenic railways are destinations in themselves — the journey is the point.

We have researched and ridden segments of the world’s most celebrated rail routes for this guide. Each journey below is accurate for 2026, including current pricing, booking windows, and practical travel tips.

Key Takeaway: The world’s best scenic rail journeys share one characteristic: they were built to conquer terrain that stopped roads. The Glacier Express crosses 291 bridges and 91 tunnels. The Bergen Railway reaches 1,237m above sea level on Norway’s Hardangervidda plateau. The Flam Railway descends 866m in 20 km. The engineering is as extraordinary as the scenery.

---

1. Glacier Express, Switzerland

The Glacier Express — marketed as “the world’s slowest express train” — runs 291 km from Zermatt to St. Moritz (or Davos) through the heart of the Swiss Alps, crossing the Landwasser Viaduct, the Oberalp Pass, and 91 tunnels in approximately 7.5 hours. It is Switzerland’s most famous tourist train and one of the best-known scenic rail experiences in the world.

The route: Starting at Zermatt (under the Matterhorn), the train climbs through the Rhône Valley, crosses the Furka Pass region, traverses the Andermatt basin, and descends through the Graubünden canton to arrive in St. Moritz beneath the Engadine mountains. Every section offers a different alpine landscape — glacial valleys, medieval villages, and alpine meadows rotating in a continuous panorama.

What makes it exceptional: The panoramic windows — large, slightly inclined to minimize reflections — and the dining car service (included with Excellence Class, optional for first and second class). The Landwasser Viaduct section, where the train crosses a 65m stone arch viaduct curving through a forest, is one of European rail’s most photographed moments.

Practical details:

• Season: Year-round (summer and winter both excellent; winter adds snow to an already spectacular landscape)
• Duration: 7 hours 30 minutes (Zermatt to St. Moritz)
• Classes: Second class ($70–100), First class ($130–180), Excellence class ($320–400 — includes meals and guaranteed window seats)
• Booking: Via swisstravelsystem.com or SBB — book 60–90 days in advance for summer Excellence class

Pro Tip: Book Excellence Class for the Glacier Express and use a Swiss Travel Pass for all other Swiss rail travel. The combination gives you the Express’s premium service for the headline journey and unlimited rail flexibility elsewhere. Swiss Travel Pass (8 days): CHF 544 for second class.

---

2. Bergen Railway (Bergensbanen), Norway

The Bergen Railway between Oslo and Bergen is Norway’s most celebrated rail route — 496 km crossing the Hardangervidda mountain plateau at 1,237m elevation, through the remote highland landscape that served as the filming location for Rohan in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings. The route runs through 184 tunnels and across 300 bridges, delivering a landscape transition from Oslo’s fjord coastline to Bergen’s seven mountains.

The route: Oslo’s gentle woodland gives way to steadily rising terrain as the train ascends toward Finse — Norway’s highest station at 1,222m, accessible only by rail (no road reaches Finse). The Hardangervidda section — open tundra, snowfields, and frozen lakes even in summer — is one of the most atmospheric mountain rail journeys in Europe. The descent into Bergen passes through the Flåm valley, and many passengers detour here (see Flam Railway below).

What makes it exceptional: The authentic combination of working train (Norwegians commute on this route) and extraordinary scenery. This is not a tourist railway — it is how Bergen residents travel to Oslo, which creates a different atmosphere from purely tourist-oriented services.

Practical details:

• Duration: 6 hours 30 minutes – 7 hours
• Price: NOK 250–900 depending on booking advance and class
• Booking: Via vy.no — book 60+ days in advance for the cheapest seats
• Season: Year-round; the winter crossing through deep snow is exceptionally atmospheric

---

3. Flam Railway (Flåmsbana), Norway

The Flam Railway is a 20 km branch line descending from Myrdal (867m above sea level) on the Bergen Railway down the Flåm valley to the Aurlandsfjord — and it packs more drama into those 20 km than most railways manage in 300. The grade averages 5.5% (one of the steepest standard-gauge railways in the world); the train passes through 20 tunnels, descends past thundering waterfalls (Kjosfossen, where the train stops for photos), and arrives in the village of Flåm at sea level.

What makes it exceptional: The sheer drama of the descent — the valley walls rise hundreds of meters on each side, and the switchbacks through tunnels that reverse direction inside the mountain are an engineering marvel. The round trip (Flåm to Myrdal and back) is the standard tourist route; in summer, the fjord cruise from Flåm to Gudvangen (through the Nærøyfjord UNESCO World Heritage site) creates a complete fjord circuit.

Practical details:

• Duration: 1 hour each direction
• Price: NOK 450 adult single (Flåm to Myrdal)
• Season: Year-round; most crowded July–August
• Booking: flamsbana.no — book in advance for summer departures

---

4. Rocky Mountaineer, Canada

The Rocky Mountaineer is Canada’s most prestigious scenic rail experience — a luxury daylight-only train operating through the Canadian Rockies on three routes linking Vancouver with Banff, Jasper, and Lake Louise. The “daylight-only” operation is the defining feature: the train stops overnight at Kamloops (First Passage to the West route) or Quesnel (Rainforest to Gold Rush route), ensuring passengers never miss scenery to darkness.

Routes:

• First Passage to the West (Vancouver–Banff/Lake Louise): The most popular route. Crosses the Fraser Canyon, climbs through the Thompson River valley, and enters the Rockies through Kicking Horse Pass.
• Journey Through the Clouds (Vancouver–Jasper): Follows the North Thompson River through wilderness untouched by roads, climbs to Yellowhead Pass, and arrives in Jasper.
• Rainforest to Gold Rush (Vancouver–Jasper via Whistler): The newest route, northernmost trajectory, through the Pemberton Valley and Cariboo region.

Classes:

• SilverLeaf: Large windows (smaller than GoldLeaf), indoor seating, good food service. From CAD $1,100 for two days.
• GoldLeaf: Dome car with glass-enclosed upper-level seating, panoramic roof and side windows, gourmet meals included. From CAD $1,800 for two days.

Practical details: Season runs April through October (primarily). The train does not operate in winter. Book via rockymountaineer.com — GoldLeaf sells out 4–6 months in advance for July–August.

Key Takeaway: The Rocky Mountaineer is expensive — but compared to a luxury lodge in the Rockies, the combination of transportation and onboard experience represents reasonable value. Many travelers use the train as one component of a broader Canadian Rockies itinerary that combines the train with hiking, wildlife viewing, and raft trips near Banff and Jasper.

---

5. Sri Lanka Hill Country: Kandy to Ella

The train from Kandy to Ella in Sri Lanka’s Hill Country is frequently cited as one of the world’s most beautiful train journeys — and it costs less than $2 for a third-class ticket, making it the best value scenic rail experience in Asia. The 7-hour journey climbs from Kandy’s tropical lowlands through the tea plantation highlands to the mountain town of Ella, crossing 47 tunnels and 90 bridges.

The route: The train passes through the World’s End viewpoint region of the Horton Plains, through the tea country around Nuwara Eliya (the “Little England” of Sri Lanka at 1,900m elevation), and into the dramatically positioned Ella Rock landscape. The famous Nine Arch Bridge — nine stone arches spanning a jungle valley near Ella — is one of Asia’s most photographed railway structures.

What makes it exceptional: The combination of extraordinary scenery and authenticity — this is a working train used by locals, tea estate workers, and schoolchildren, not a tourist train. The experience of sitting in an open door as the train winds through tea plantations at sunrise is genuinely extraordinary.

Practical details:

• Duration: 6–7 hours (Kandy to Ella)
• Classes: First class ($3), Second class ($1.50), Third class ($0.70)
• Booking: First and second class in advance via booktraintickets.lk; third class is buy-at-station only
• Season: Year-round; November–March (northeast monsoon) can affect some sections. Best: January–March, July–August

Pro Tip: Book the first-class observation car (limited seats, reserve 2–3 months in advance for peak months). If unavailable, take a second-class reserved seat. The famous “door-hanging” photography happens in third class — safe but cramped and hot on a full train.

---

6. Jacobite Steam Train (Harry Potter Train), Scotland

The Jacobite steam locomotive running from Fort William to Mallaig in the Scottish Highlands crosses the 21-arch Glenfinnan Viaduct — the railway bridge made famous as the Hogwarts Express route in the Harry Potter films — and delivers 84 miles of West Highland scenery including Loch Shiel, the Rannoch Moor, and the fjord-like sea lochs of the Mallaig coast.

Practical details:

• Season: May–October (steam locomotive operation)
• Duration: 2 hours each direction (Fort William to Mallaig)
• Price: £35–45 adult return (steam locomotive service)
• Booking: westcoastrailways.co.uk — books 3–4 months in advance for summer

The regular ScotRail service (diesel locomotives) operates year-round on the same route at a fraction of the cost and with less visitor competition — an excellent alternative for off-season Highland travel.

---

Planning a Multi-Journey Rail Adventure

The world’s great scenic railways can be combined into multi-week rail journeys for travelers with time and budget. Our recommended combination for a European rail adventure:

Two-week European scenic rail circuit:

1. London → Paris (Eurostar, 2h15m)
2. Paris → Geneva (TGV, 3h)
3. Geneva → Zermatt → Glacier Express → St. Moritz (Switzerland Pass, 2 days)
4. St. Moritz → Innsbruck (Bernina Express + bus connection, 5h)
5. Innsbruck → Bergen (overnight trains via Munich, Hamburg)
6. Bergen → Oslo (Bergensbanen, 7h)
7. Oslo → Copenhagen → London (Eurostar connection)

Total rail distance: approximately 5,000 km, all by train. Carbon footprint: approximately 90 kg CO2 equivalent — compared to approximately 1,200 kg for the same journey by air, according to the European Environment Agency.

For travelers combining scenic rail with active adventure, many of the destinations above offer excellent hiking and outdoor activities. See our hiking trails bucket list for trail recommendations near Bergen, Zermatt, and the Canadian Rockies.

---

2026 Booking Timeline Summary

Journey	Peak Season	Book By	Key Booking Platform
Glacier Express (Excellence)	Jul–Aug	90 days before	swisstravelsystem.com
Bergen Railway	Jun–Aug	60 days before	vy.no
Flam Railway	Jun–Aug	30 days before	flamsbana.no
Rocky Mountaineer (GoldLeaf)	Jul–Aug	4–6 months before	rockymountaineer.com
Sri Lanka Hill Country (1st Class)	Jan–Mar	2–3 months before	booktraintickets.lk
Jacobite Steam	Jul–Aug	3–4 months before	westcoastrailways.co.uk

ThrillStays recommends building at least one scenic rail journey into any adventure travel itinerary in 2026. The combination of passive landscape viewing and genuine destination arrival is a travel experience category in its own right — slower than flying, more complete than driving, and irreplaceable as a way of reading a landscape at human scale.

---

Word count: ~2,500 words

You Might Also Like

• Best E-Bike Tours in Europe for 2026
• 12 Best Surf Towns in the World Under $50/Night
• Freediving Travel: Best Destinations for 2026