Rolling past snow-capped peaks, fairy-tale castles, and breathtaking natural wonders, The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys is an unforgettable ride through some of the most spectacular landscapes on Earth. From New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and the sweeping Scottish Highlands, to a Mexican odyssey, an Arctic expedition, and a luxurious African safari, it’s a breathtaking adventure. Along the way, meet the engineers who keep these trains running and the many characters who work, travel, and live along these exotic and far-flung routes. And while an airplane is certainly the quickest route to any destination, nothing compares to an epic train expedition where it’s always the journey that counts.

Ride through Canada on the iconic Rocky Mountaineer train in a jaw-dropping loop that takes the viewers from Vancouver to the heart of the Rockies, through some of North America’s most staggering natural beauty, to Banff in Alberta. The two-day Rainforest to Gold Rush route offers a variety of landscapes unparalleled anywhere in the world—taking in vast crystal clear lakes, through lush coastal rainforest, and the desert-like splendour of the Fraser Canyon.

This is a glorious trip through the mountain and coastal route in the sun of Northern Spain, which is also a gastronomic tour on and off the train exploring a huge range of local delicacies. We begin near Leon, part of the famous north Spanish Pilgrimage, nestled in the Picos de Europa mountains.  

This stunning journey will take the viewers through the heart of South Island’s best scenery. We start at Greymouth with its historic coal mining past and from there the train moves on to Arthur’s Pass National Park – with its 3000 glaciers and the highest pass over the Southern Alps -before arriving in Christchurch, a city sitting on a volcano, but with views of the famous Southern Alps.

The Cambrian Line is the UK’s hidden secret – a rail line of spectacular views steeped in history and nostalgia. The route travels from the highest mountain in Wales Snowdon, past famous castles - Criccieth and Harlech - which tower over miles upon miles of golden sand. Then the journey takes us to the old capital of Wales —Machynlleth. 

Cutting through the magical beauty of Norway, this train journey begins in the capital, Oslo, and takes us all the way to Bodø inside the Arctic Circle with tales of trolls, Nazi’s, reindeer and Vikings along the way. This line showcases Norway at its most breath-taking, with dramatic Fjords and one of the country’s most famous landmarks, Trollveggen (the ‘Troll Wall’), the tallest vertical rock face in Europe. 

The journey starts in Tirano in northern Italy, and starts climbing up through the Italian Alps and the great lakes of Italy on its way to the roof of Europe, Zermatt, the gateway to the magnificent Matterhorn. 


This journey takes us on a luxurious 500 mile African train safari where we’ll be travellng on Rovos Rail’s vintage hotel train. Lovingly re-built by the Rovos family to the highest of specifications, this beautiful 14 carriage train leaves Pretoria for its three-day journey to Durban on the coast.


 


This trek is on the Chihuahua Pacific Railway known as the EL Chepe in northern Mexico. It took a hundred years to build the line from Creel to the coast and it travels through the spectacular Copper Canyon region.


 

Here we go on an extraordinary 600-mile journey through Finland. From Helsinki to  the Arctic Circle, even at -30 our railway runs smoothly past the thickest of forests, stopping at stations frozen in time. Visit ice castles and even Santa Claus himself!

We’ll travel through the Scottish Highlands from Inverness to Edinburgh through the majestic Cairngorm National Park, landscapes steeped in heroic history and valleys rich in folklore before arriving in Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh.


 

This train journey across Sri Lanka is a train-lovers trip of a lifetime to Nine Arch Bridge. Traveling along on one of the world’s best-preserved Victorian-era railways we climb to over 6000 feet deep from Columbo to Ella.


 

The 200-mile Ligne de Cévennes travels north from Nîmes to France's volcanic heart and the spectacular Puy De Dôme. It takes travelers across three historic viaducts, explores the stunning area's wildlife, famous walks and mining history. 

On this 11 hour voyage, travel on New Zealand’s famous Northern Explorer down the North Island. On our way to Wellington we’ll cross historic viaducts, explore this land of volcanoes, and visit the engineering masterpiece the Ruarimu Spiral.

Our train voyage through Sicily is an extraordinary journey that travels back in time, through a landscape forged by the earth’s forces and several ancient civilizations. Our railway line crosses seven World Heritage Sites – some of these cities built by Romans and the Greeks – through a mountainous region in the south of the island. 


Set in the north-western Italian province of Liguria, this episode couples a journey along the Mediterranean’s spectacular stretch of coastline with a trip into the Apennine mountains aboard a vintage train time capsule. 

The West Highland Line is one of the world’s most legendary train routes – crossing spectacular Scottish moors and mountains as it heads towards the majestic Isle of Skye. Starting in Glasgow, within minutes our train is gliding towards Loch Lomond, the world’s largest inland stretch of water. 

This Bavarian train journey is an extraordinary trip that will take you from the middle of a massive meteor crater to the top of the highest mountain in Germany. We’ll explore the state’s rich history of steam travel, we’ll meet world-beating miniature railways, and visit a whole host of places as we head to the heart of the Bavarian Alps. 

This scenic railway journey through Devon to the tip of Cornwall takes us back in time to recapture the golden age of luxury train travel. We’ll be traveling in the elegantly restored Statesman, with passengers relaxing in its vintage carriages and enjoying the exquisite service.