Best rail Journey You've been on.....
- Thread starter zoltan
- Start date
purves grundy
ambient clown remix
I did that too. Did you really actually enjoy it???Loki said:Jakarta -> other side of Java (ferry port to Bali). Third class, $10 return
Errol's son
Well-Known Member
Any train journey in Japan.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
Boris Sprinkler said:
Andy the Don
Wise men say only fools..
bfg said:
Mine to in the UK..
Venice to Naples is a pleasant nine hour journey down the length of Italy. Especially first class making use of the Italian railways excellent restaurant car service.
Lea
Well-Known Member
Beijing to Xian to Chengdu to Kunming in China had some spectacular views.
New Delhi to Calcutta (20+ hours) very lively and animated train ride. Did not meet any other foreigners on this train. Was supposed to be an express but stopped at all the little stations. At 5am two little girls got on to the train and started busking and dancing. Also had my bottom pinched by some dirty old man whilst sleeping on the top bunk.
Not a train journey but a bus journey from Aswan to Abu Simbel in Egypt evoked the romantic desert scenery which was spoilt by some old toothless Egyptian wanking away across the aisle from me. Made me want to puke.
New Delhi to Calcutta (20+ hours) very lively and animated train ride. Did not meet any other foreigners on this train. Was supposed to be an express but stopped at all the little stations. At 5am two little girls got on to the train and started busking and dancing. Also had my bottom pinched by some dirty old man whilst sleeping on the top bunk.
Not a train journey but a bus journey from Aswan to Abu Simbel in Egypt evoked the romantic desert scenery which was spoilt by some old toothless Egyptian wanking away across the aisle from me. Made me want to puke.
undercover
Chopping up Armadillos
Went from Paris to Milan last Christmas and that was pretty darn spectacular when going through the alps.
Had a result, as it was supposed to be an overnight one, but the Eurostar from UK was late getting in, so missed the connection to the night one, got put up in a hotel in Paris by Eurostar and got the early morning one out.
Had a result, as it was supposed to be an overnight one, but the Eurostar from UK was late getting in, so missed the connection to the night one, got put up in a hotel in Paris by Eurostar and got the early morning one out.
sleaterkinney
Well-Known Member
Prague to Budapest on an old russian sleeper train complete with border guards banging on the door and going "Passport" and looking like they were going to haul you away.
santa klaus
occasional saint
Mallaig - Fort William (Scotland).
Stunning scenery but the best part for me was when that fat American in the seat next to mine bought a 0.15 litres Coca Cola can and tried to open the tiny thing with his Bratwurst fingers. When it was finally open and the pressure released, he crushed it accidentally and had the brew all over his legs.
Calama (Chile) - Oruro (Bolivia)
When I went to the station to buy the ticket I asked when the train leaves. The clerk answered "today" (the train only runs on Wednesdays - only Gringos want to know it even more precisely...).
Oruro is only 400 km away, but the trip took 48 hours. Later I was told that this was pretty fast. We arrived at the Bolivian border at 3 am but the customs officers wouldn´t start to work before 9 am. So we waited.
A pig was slaughtered, grilled and sold to the passengers, along with some cooked potatoes. It was disgusting and most people threw the food out of the window, where it was eaten by next Wednesday´s pig.
Most Gringos had the shits and the lack of available toilet paper became an urgency. It took the customs 5 hours to look through the entire trainload´s luggage. When they were finished, they said the Chilean locomotive won´t be allowed to proceed to Bolivia. So we waited another 7 hours until a proper Bolivian engine came up to the border, which is at some 12,000 feet altitude, so headaches and bleeding noses made us not to worry about our shits any more.
The train derailed twice during that journey, which was appreciated as there were no on-board toilets (well, there were, but they were needed to transport chicken), so at least everybody had ample time to go outside to fertilize some Altiplano soil.
The second night on the train was Israel´s national holiday. There were about 50 Israelis on the train - they decorated one waggon with their flags and shared vast amounts of spirits with the rest of the passengers. There were some with harps and one guitar - they tought us to sing Hebrew songs.
This was in 1994. Unfurtunately, there is a paved road now and buses do the trip in 5 hours.
Stunning scenery but the best part for me was when that fat American in the seat next to mine bought a 0.15 litres Coca Cola can and tried to open the tiny thing with his Bratwurst fingers. When it was finally open and the pressure released, he crushed it accidentally and had the brew all over his legs.
Calama (Chile) - Oruro (Bolivia)
When I went to the station to buy the ticket I asked when the train leaves. The clerk answered "today" (the train only runs on Wednesdays - only Gringos want to know it even more precisely...).
Oruro is only 400 km away, but the trip took 48 hours. Later I was told that this was pretty fast. We arrived at the Bolivian border at 3 am but the customs officers wouldn´t start to work before 9 am. So we waited.
A pig was slaughtered, grilled and sold to the passengers, along with some cooked potatoes. It was disgusting and most people threw the food out of the window, where it was eaten by next Wednesday´s pig.
Most Gringos had the shits and the lack of available toilet paper became an urgency. It took the customs 5 hours to look through the entire trainload´s luggage. When they were finished, they said the Chilean locomotive won´t be allowed to proceed to Bolivia. So we waited another 7 hours until a proper Bolivian engine came up to the border, which is at some 12,000 feet altitude, so headaches and bleeding noses made us not to worry about our shits any more.
The train derailed twice during that journey, which was appreciated as there were no on-board toilets (well, there were, but they were needed to transport chicken), so at least everybody had ample time to go outside to fertilize some Altiplano soil.
The second night on the train was Israel´s national holiday. There were about 50 Israelis on the train - they decorated one waggon with their flags and shared vast amounts of spirits with the rest of the passengers. There were some with harps and one guitar - they tought us to sing Hebrew songs.
This was in 1994. Unfurtunately, there is a paved road now and buses do the trip in 5 hours.
Spandex
A crazy bulbous punchbag of sound
For looking out the window:
Patras to Athens - through the parched Greek countryside, leaning out the window to get a good view as the train goes over the Corinth canal, then the line hanging onto cliffs, passing loads of derelict ships before pulling into Athens
For comic company and jammy luck:
Naples to Paris - almost a whole day on the train stretching ahead of us, the train starts to fill up and it looks like we'll have to share a crowded compartment and have no opportunity to get a decent sleep before arriving in Paris. The first person to get into the compartment after us is a fierce old Italian lady - probably in her 80s - who looks like she will just about tolerate us being in 'her' compartment. Luckily, she won't tolerate anyone else - as people come in, she screams a torrent of abuse at them, waving her bag and walking stick in the most threatening fashion - I don't speak Italian so have no idea what she is saying, but it works a treat and there is just the three of us in the six seat compartment when the train pulls out of Naples. After scaring everyone else off she sits there smiling sweetly at us, giving no clue of the demon that is apparently inside her. Then, at the next stop, she gets off the train leaving the compartment to the two of us while the crowded train trecked it's way the length of Italy, over the alps and through most of France.
Patras to Athens - through the parched Greek countryside, leaning out the window to get a good view as the train goes over the Corinth canal, then the line hanging onto cliffs, passing loads of derelict ships before pulling into Athens
For comic company and jammy luck:
Naples to Paris - almost a whole day on the train stretching ahead of us, the train starts to fill up and it looks like we'll have to share a crowded compartment and have no opportunity to get a decent sleep before arriving in Paris. The first person to get into the compartment after us is a fierce old Italian lady - probably in her 80s - who looks like she will just about tolerate us being in 'her' compartment. Luckily, she won't tolerate anyone else - as people come in, she screams a torrent of abuse at them, waving her bag and walking stick in the most threatening fashion - I don't speak Italian so have no idea what she is saying, but it works a treat and there is just the three of us in the six seat compartment when the train pulls out of Naples. After scaring everyone else off she sits there smiling sweetly at us, giving no clue of the demon that is apparently inside her. Then, at the next stop, she gets off the train leaving the compartment to the two of us while the crowded train trecked it's way the length of Italy, over the alps and through most of France.
editor
hiraethified
Sadly, I've no recollection whatsoever of what was probably the prettiest rail journey I've been on.
Last day of train service
When I was a mere baby, my Mum took me on the train from Cardiff to Brecon, a line that ran through spectacular countryside, over the bleak summit of Torpantau and on to the delightful country town of Brecon.
Torpantau Station
Last day of train service
When I was a mere baby, my Mum took me on the train from Cardiff to Brecon, a line that ran through spectacular countryside, over the bleak summit of Torpantau and on to the delightful country town of Brecon.
Torpantau Station
editor said:Sadly, I've no recollection whatsoever of what was probably the prettiest rail journey I've been on.
Last day of train service
When I was a mere baby, my Mum took me on the train from Cardiff to Brecon, a line that ran through spectacular countryside, over the bleak summit of Torpantau and on to the delightful country town of Brecon.
Torpantau Station
funnily enough, Im a bit of a fetishist about the long dead northumbrian railways, that used to spider about the county connecting sad little places to other sad little places. these days you can still walk much of the embankment & routes that remain- to say for example Otterburn , deep in the Pennines/ Cheviots and the likes of Alston - Carlisle on the other side
Fascinating long walks, I can only imagine the rail journey
santa klaus said:Calama (Chile) - Oruro (Bolivia)
When I went to the station to buy the ticket I asked when the train leaves. The clerk answered "today" (the train only runs on Wednesdays - only Gringos want to know it even more precisely...).
Oruro is only 400 km away, but the trip took 48 hours. Later I was told that this was pretty fast. We arrived at the Bolivian border at 3 am but the customs officers wouldn´t start to work before 9 am. So we waited.
A pig was slaughtered, grilled and sold to the passengers, along with some cooked potatoes. It was disgusting and most people threw the food out of the window, where it was eaten by next Wednesday´s pig.
Most Gringos had the shits and the lack of available toilet paper became an urgency. It took the customs 5 hours to look through the entire trainload´s luggage. When they were finished, they said the Chilean locomotive won´t be allowed to proceed to Bolivia. So we waited another 7 hours until a proper Bolivian engine came up to the border, which is at some 12,000 feet altitude, so headaches and bleeding noses made us not to worry about our shits any more.
The train derailed twice during that journey, which was appreciated as there were no on-board toilets (well, there were, but they were needed to transport chicken), so at least everybody had ample time to go outside to fertilize some Altiplano soil.
The second night on the train was Israel´s national holiday. There were about 50 Israelis on the train - they decorated one waggon with their flags and shared vast amounts of spirits with the rest of the passengers. There were some with harps and one guitar - they tought us to sing Hebrew songs.
This was in 1994. Unfurtunately, there is a paved road now and buses do the trip in 5 hours.
We have a winner
Glasgow-Fort William-Mallaig 
zoltan69 said:
for one thing its paddington to btm
but since it was a university open day and i got EMA I got it paid for by the council and they failed to notice that i'd taken the piss and gone first class
free times, tea and biccys, sarnies, shitloads of leg room, reclining seat a quiet laugh at the barristers moaning bout the tannoy bein to loud.
other than that nothin major other than going to disneyland on the eurostar
Boris Sprinkler
Dont be scared
anywhere that begins or ends in Penrith...
Lazy Llama
Suburban robots that monitor reality
"California Zephyr" - 2,438 miles from San Francisco to Chicago. Took the best part of 3 days, travelling through all kinds of different scenery, from plains to snowy mountains.
I'm now starting to get used to beautiful train journey's since moving to Switzerland.
Trundleing down from Zurich to Milan via Lake Luzern, St Gothard, Ambri Valley down to Chiasso & into Italy is a beuatiful way to spend 6 hours. The train up to St. Moritz is also spectacular.
Many, many, amazing journeys in India and of course Mrs Magpie's Dawlish - reminds you just how spectacular Britain is after all those fancy forgien trains.
Btw, Interesting feature on overland travel in The Grauniad today. (apart from the twatingly annoying writer doing the ibiza journey)
Trundleing down from Zurich to Milan via Lake Luzern, St Gothard, Ambri Valley down to Chiasso & into Italy is a beuatiful way to spend 6 hours. The train up to St. Moritz is also spectacular.
Many, many, amazing journeys in India and of course Mrs Magpie's Dawlish - reminds you just how spectacular Britain is after all those fancy forgien trains.
Btw, Interesting feature on overland travel in The Grauniad today. (apart from the twatingly annoying writer doing the ibiza journey)
santa klaus
occasional saint
zoltan69 said:
I decided to leave Bolivia on a different route. In a COACH!
So I went to the coach station in La Paz. When I crossed Plaza San Francisco I suddenly found myself between teargas-spraying police and a few hundred demonstrators who threw firecrackers at them. Later I was told I was lucky not to get into a demonstration in Potosí, where they use dynamite.
A company called "Corazon de Jesús" ("Heart of Jesus") offered the cheapest ride to Arica, Chile. So I bought a ticket. With the ticket in my hand they told me the coach doesn´t leave from the coach station, so they rang a taxi for me. The taxi left me at a huge highway/road junction in a seedy industrial area. He told me the bus should be here any minute. It was 11pm. I was alone. I was quite relieved when a bus came round the corner half an hour later. It had "Corazon de Jesús" written all over the windscreen. I wondered how the driver could possibly see the road through it; apparently he trusted in Jesus´ guidance.
Two hours after we left La Paz behind us we were in the mountains again. The coach managed the ascent in first-gear-full-throttle. The engine made a really scary noise and soon overheated so we had to stop. Time for some Bolivian-style water cooling. The coach was one of those 30-year-old Mercedes beasts with a front engine. Next to the driver´s seat there is a big flap-door on the floor - the engine is under it. Buckets were filled and put in the aisle. The passengers on the front seat had to pour water over the engine. The other passengers had to pass the buckets forward. When the last bucket was empty we had to stop again in the next village to refill them.
Water swashed through the aisle and steam filled the coach.
At 7 am we reached the border. The driver said he can´t possibly proceed to Chile with this bus (as the police there cares more about vehicle safety), so he will ring in Arica for another bus to pick us up.
At the Chilean border post. Which is 15 km away from the Bolivian one. So a guy with a Moped shuttled forth and back, bringing over one passenger at one time. At 7 in the morning on 4000 meters altitude. I froze my bottom off...
The Chilean coach really came. It was a wonderful one, complete with shock absorbers and even BRAKES! We passed through the Lauca National Park and when we reached the paved part of the route I even managed to sleep.
hipipol
Peckham Wry
Vasco - Hospet is TOPS!!!
Bridge over the falls, stonking, plus you know you're on your way to Hampi, so its all good
Konkan Railway Dardar to Pernem kept wanting to get off and have a look around, seems they now do such stopping tickets, plus you get to leave from VT/ CST so MUCH easier
Bridge over the falls, stonking, plus you know you're on your way to Hampi, so its all good
Konkan Railway Dardar to Pernem kept wanting to get off and have a look around, seems they now do such stopping tickets, plus you get to leave from VT/ CST so MUCH easier
trashpony
Hag
sleaterkinney said:
Venice to Athens on an old Russian sleeper train before the wall came down. My bf flicked his fag end out the window in Split and it bounced off the shoulder of a policeman standing on the platform who promptly threw him and all his stuff off the train. They left him standing on the platform and when the train pulled out, we dragged him back on again.
There was also some kid going off to join the army at another stop in Yugoslavia. His family all did a dance in a big circle with linked arms around him on the platform and then there was loads of crying and wailing as he got on the train
The scenery was pretty good too.
