Train vacations are a great way to adventure travel. Trains often traverse mountains and areas either unaccessible by road. Not only do they act as transportation, but you can actually spent an entire vacation on a train winding around scenic locations without having to worry about driving from site to site. You’ll find train travel in just about every part of the world, on every continent (aside from Antartica, of course) and in most countries.
In Tibet, an area known for having the highest peaks in the world for climbers, you will find the Qingzang railway (or Lhasa Express). While some adventurers come to Tibet to scale Mount Everest, others might not want that extreme level of “vacation” but still want to see the land. That’s where the Lhasa Express comes in. On it you can travel Tibet by train. It winds around the Tibetan Plateau at such altitudes, that oxygen is pumped into the cabins, and you’re given a personal oxygen tank just in case that isn’t enough for you. You won’t quite venture into Everest’s territory, but the beauty of this region is undeniable, and it makes for a remarkable train vacation.
Another popular adventure railway vacation involves the PeruRail. Many people take backpacking trips to Peru because of the many sites available. One popular backpacking route is the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu which is considered one of the top trails to backpack in the world. The Peru Rail system accomodates those who travel to these areas via backpack with a specific backpacking train. It provides decent seating at at reasonable price, and spaces available for backpacks. A train vacation package involving a backpacking trip to Machu Pichu is really one of the ultimate adventure trips available.
Popular destinations for train vacations in the USA and Canada include the Rockies and other mountain ranges, the Grand Canyon, and their many miles of coastal land. These mountain ranges, canyons, and coasts offer a combination of views that you will find difficult to beat on any other continent. Amtrak is a company that offers train vacations throughout the United States and parts of Canada. Via Rail is another company that offers train travel options throughout Canada.
You can also find many luxury train vacation packages available. Luxury train travel can offer anything from passage on the finest trains from one luxury hotel to the next, to an entire train car that you might mistake for a large room in one of those hotels. With luxury trips, food and beverages are typically included, and the accommodations and service are top notch. You can find these luxury vacations anywhere that you’ll find train travel. Sometimes they might involve staying on the train the entire time, stopping at vistas and sleeping in the car, and sometimes, as stated above, it’s merely the transportation from one hotel to the next. In the case of these hotel trips, they will be located in places with incredible views and with some exclusive train packages, might only be accessible via that train.
Wherever you decide to go, and whether you decide to go there via backpack or luxury train, train vacations are an often overlooked type of vacation. Trains offer views of places you can never see while driving, and they allow you to forgo worrying about planning those drives from place to place. It’s a leisurely way to vacation that everyone should try at least once in their life.