5 Scenic Train Journeys Where the View Is the Destination
A scenic railway turns travel time into the main event. Large windows, steep gradients, and routes inaccessible to highways reveal landscapes at a pace that leaves room to notice detail.
These five journeys are celebrated as much for the route as the destination.
The Bernina Express crosses glaciers and stone viaducts

The Bernina route links Switzerland and Italy across high Alpine terrain. Trains pass glaciers, lakes, and the curving Landwasser Viaduct before descending toward a very different southern landscape.
The Flåm Railway drops from mountains toward a fjord

Norway's Flåm Railway negotiates a dramatic change in elevation through tunnels, waterfalls, and a narrow valley. The compact journey connects the mountain railway at Myrdal with the Aurlandsfjord.
The West Highland Line crosses remote Scottish scenery

The West Highland Line travels through lochs, moorland, mountain country, and small stations in western Scotland. Its crossing of the Glenfinnan Viaduct is the route's best-known view.
The Rocky Mountaineer follows rivers through western Canada

Daylight rail journeys through western Canada emphasize views of river valleys, forests, and the Rocky Mountains. Glass-domed coaches are designed to keep the changing landscape visible.
New Zealand's TranzAlpine crosses the Southern Alps

The TranzAlpine links Christchurch and Greymouth across the South Island. The route moves from plains into alpine passes before following river valleys toward the west coast.
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