Railway Holidays

Image of Rocky Mountaineer train

Rail journeys have always been a romantic way to travel, and our railway holidays are the classic way to travel in many countries worldwide.

Because of the environmentally friendly way that rail travel helps move people around, we have always included some rail journeys in many of our tours. But now we have a series of railway journeys specifically designed at bringing style and romance back into travel. Completely different to road or air travel, this is the real way to truly experience a country and 'get local'.


Why travel by train?

  • Environmentally friendly
  • Meeting locals, as well as your fellow Explore adventurers, as you move around different compartments
  • Enjoy the country's scenery gently rolling by
  • Wander down to the buffet car or take tea or coffee from the travelling salesmen
  • Chill out and read a book - much easier than on a bus
  • Overnight on a train is one of those unforgettable nostalgic experiences, whether you are slowly making your way across the endless steppe lands of Central Russia, or gliding past the Straits of Malacca.

Some of your most memorable journeys will be those involving long rail journeys, with the scenery slowly unfolding before you. Rail travel gives us a real experience of spending time and interacting positively with the local people.

Classic Railway Journeys

Experience the 'Shinkansen' Bullet Train through Japan.

'Shinkansen' Bullet Train, Japan.

  • Trans Siberian: The classic train journey still remains the Trans-Siberian, covering one third of the globe, as we set off from Moscow and cross the Ural Mountains into the endless rolling steppe land of Siberia. From the Taiga forests and Lake Baikal, we skirt the Gobi desert in Mongolia, before reaching the end of the line in Beijing.
  • Rocky Mountaineer: The scenic rail journey that everyone wants to make, from Vancouver to Banff by way of the spectacular Canadian Rockies. There's even the chance for whale-watching on the ferry through the Inside Passage.
  • Bullet Train: We take the 'Shinkansen' from Tokyo to Nagasaki, visiting Mt Fuji, Lake Ashi and the 99 Islands. In ancient Kyoto, we acquaint ourselves with the peaceful Japanese way of life, spending two nights in a traditional Ryokan.

Europe and Beyond

Train heading south to Morocco

Heading south to Morocco

  • Best of Italy: Crossing classical Italy in a grand tour from Venice to Naples. Stopping off at Florence, Pisa, Siena and the 'Eternal City' of Rome on the way.
  • London to Aqaba: The eastern Mediterranean slowly unfolds before us as we embark on a journey of epic proportions. Travelling through ten countries, we visit some of the great historical landmarks of Europe and the Levant.
  • Spain to Marrakech: What better way to discover Moorish Spain and North Africa, than by riding the rails from Malaga to Morocco. Tangiers, Fes, Rabat and Casablanca are tasters, for the real delights of Marrakech.

Asian Highlights

On the railroad to Lhasa

On the railroad to Lhasa

  • Chiang Mai to Singapore: This journey along the length of the Malay Peninsula is as laid back as rail travel can be. But we still have plenty of adventures, as we take riverboats and elephant rides into the jungle, and chill out on tropical islands.
  • Railroad to Lhasa: Chinese Railways are justly proud of the punctuality of their trains, and our itineraries are easily kept. The newly built Chinese railroad to the fabulous city of Lhasa will undoubtedly become a classic. But before we start the climb onto the Tibetan plateau, we'll already have shown you the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors in Xian and the Yellow River at Lanzhou.
  • Dhaka to Delhi: Often described as a travelling village, the Indian experience of rail travel is something never to be forgotten, as we glide along the plains and snake through mountains on the world's largest rail network. But we show you even more than Indian Railways can offer, by starting our journey in Bangladesh, ending high up in the Himalayas on the 'toy train' that climbs up to the old British hill station of Simla. On the way we stop off and visit all the famous sites of Kolkota, Varanasi, Lucknow, Agra, Delhi and Amritsar. It's got to be the only way to travel!