On board the Vivek Express, India’s longest train journey
The longest train journey in India begins from Dibrugarh in Assam. Cities, towns, industries, ponds, fields, rivers, more ponds, people, more people, blue skies and clouds whiz by until, after 4273 km (2655 mi), approximately five days, and nine Indian states, the train arrives at Kanyakumari, the country’s southernmost tip. [firstpost.com]
Catch the Ghan train through Australia’s Outback
On a journey from Darwin in the Northern Territory to Adelaide in South Australia, The Ghan Expedition passes through the gritty Outback — along tracks that represent the spine of the country — to places of incredible natural beauty and points of Aboriginal cultural importance. [scotsman.com]
An accessible-travel insider documents her trip on the world’s longest passenger train
When wheelchair-bound Sylvia Longmire was named a winner of Amtrak’s “Take Me There” contest, she selected the railroad’s Auto Train for her winning journey. Once aboard, the former Air Force officer diagnosed with multiple sclerosis put the accessibility of Amtrak travel to the test. [washingtonpost.com]
Denver’s ski train is back. Go from the city to the slopes car-free
Denver’s weekend ski train is back for the season. Amtrak’s double-decker Winter Park Express takes skiers and snowboarders from the city’s Union Station to Winter Park Resort, about 66 miles to the northwest. The two-hour ride offers views of the Flatirons rock formations and takes visitors through 31 tunnels before arriving at the base of the resort. [latimes.com]
Norway’s Flamsbana could be the most beautiful train journey in the world
For trainspotters, the Flamsbana is a bucket list destination that must be experienced. The rest of us may not know so much about this remarkable railway, which is one of the steepest in the world. It was started in 1920, but not finished until 1940 as the engineering required was such a feat. [metro.co.uk]
