Family travel: Rail journeys

Why fly if you can help it? Make the rail journey part of your travel experience

By Rhonda Carrier
Published 30 Oct 2016, 15:00 GMT, Updated 7 Jul 2021, 17:19 BST

Family rail journeys: Northern Belle

Photograph by Northern Belle

01 Get your snow fix: Oslo to Bergen
One of the world's most scenic rail routes, this Bergen Railway journey takes over seven hours and crosses one of Europe's highest mountain plateaus. nsb.no

02 Jingle Belles: In the UK
Step inside the beautiful, 1930s-style carriages of Belmond Northern Belle during the Christmas period. Meet Santa and his elves and tuck into a seven-course lunch as you traverse the British countryside.

03 Toy trains: New Japaiguri to Darjeeling
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway — nicknamed the 'Toy Train' — has been taking passengers through India's lower Eastern Himalayas to the tea plantations since 1881. irctc.co.in

04 See the Rockies: Toronto to Vancouver
A domed observation car on The Canadian offers in-your-face views of Jasper National Park in the Rockies. The journey covers 2,775 miles (and four time zones) over four nights. viarail.ca

05 City to sur: Rome to Sicily
At the seaside resort of Taormina, the train itself is shunted aboard a ferry to cross the Straits of Messina. Trains run day and night, with the journey taking around 11.5 hours. Sleeper options are available for families. loco2.com

Published in the November 2016 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)

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