Flying will get you from point A to B in the fastest way, but only someone with a private jet would call it relaxing. And road trips are fun but, like flying, they’re not great for the environment, and the intensely focused driver doesn’t get to gaze at the scenery. For our money, the most laid-back and scenic way to get around is by train travel—and these nine relaxing, rewarding rail rides are as much about the journey as the destination. Here’s where to glide through some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes, from the Grand Canyon to the Swiss Alps.
Alaska Railroad
- Route: Anchorage to Fairbanks, Alaska
- Duration: 12 hours one-way
- Book now: alaskarailroad.com
- From $221
Onboard Alaska Railroad‘s Denali Star train route you’ll roll pass snow-capped peaks—including Denali, North America’s highest mountain—thick pine forests, and the rivers Knik and Susitna. The Denali Star runs mid-May to mid-September between Anchorage and Fairbanks, with stops in Wasilla, Talkeetna, and Denali National Park. This is a particularly pretty train ride in fall, and the foliage changes early in Alaska, starting in late August.
The Blue Train
- Route: Pretoria to Cape Town, South Africa
- Duration: three days, two nights one-way
- Book now: bluetrain.co.za
- From approximately $2,570 (ZAR 44,840)
South Africa‘s historic Blue Train has covered nearly 1,000 miles of scenic track from Pretoria to Cape Town since 1923. It crosses the escarpment of the Cape Winelands with its vineyards and Cape Dutch towns and on to Cape Town. The train winds through the Great Karoo Desert, a sparsely populated area of vast open plains, savannas, and grassland. Thanks to impeccable antique decor (with modern amenities like heated floors, air-conditioning, and soundproofing), the whole experience has a nostalgic feel, especially during the elegant meal service, with dishes using a range of South African ingredients and served with the country’s lauded wines. Mingle with your fellow passengers over afternoon tea or after-dinner drinks in the cushy lounge car.
The Ghan celebrated its 95th birthday in 2024, marking nearly a century of crossing the Outback.
Courtesy of Journey Beyond
The Ghan
- Route: Adelaide to Darwin, Australia
- Duration: three days, two nights one-way
- Book now: journeybeyondrail.com.au
- From approximately $1,664 in 2025 and $1,408 in 2026 (AU$2,590 and AU$2,190, respectively)
Depart from Adelaide in South Australia for a two-night, three-day chug that includes vibrant greenery and rugged red desert. The journey runs the entire length of Australia from south to north, covering 1,851 miles and traversing dramatic gorges and curious rock formations of the ancient mountains of the Flinders Ranges. Moving through the outback, it passes through the Red Center, the region home to two of Australia’s best-known natural landmarks, Uluru and Kata Tjuta, and stops in Alice Springs in the middle of the remote desert. And then, as the train approaches the northern coast, the landscape changes to tropical forests and wetlands. The rate includes seven meals, served in the convivial restaurant carriage, that showcase local ingredients and wines.
Grand Canyon Railway travels from Williams, Arizona to the Grand Canyon and back on restored historic passenger cars.
Photo by Pandora Pictures/Shutterstock
Grand Canyon National Railway
- Route: Williams to Williams, Arizona
- Duration: 8 hours 15 minutes round-trip
- Book now: thetrain.com
- From $70
Once a means of transporting ore through the Wild West, the historically significant Grand Canyon Railway dates back to 1901. The full-day, 130-mile round-trip journey departs from Williams, Arizona, west of Flagstaff and heads to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, where riders will have three hours to explore. Along the way you’ll likely spot wildlife, including bald eagles, mountain lions, and elk, in addition to the dramatic canyon landscape.
The train between Colombo and Badulla rolls through impossibly green tea plantations.
Photo by Salitha Gayan/Shutterstock
Sri Lanka Railways’ Colombo to Badulla
- Route: Colombo to Badulla, Sri Lanka
- Duration: About 10 hours one way
- Book now: seatreservation.railway.gov.lk
- From approximately $5 (LKR1,500)
Running from Sri Lanka’s Colombo on the country’s west coast inland to Badulla, this romantic train ride is almost comically slow, covering 181 miles in roughly 10 hours. The train crawls through one impressively lush landscape after another—around mountains; through valleys, jungles, forests, and tea plantations; and past thickets of palm trees waving gracefully in the humid breeze. This is a train ride for daydreaming, drawing, reading, playing cards, or any other low-tech pursuit. Note that if you want to stick your head out the window, that will be possible in third-class only. These trains have fairly limited seating, so book in advance.
The scenery around the Glacier Express is gorgeous no matter the season.
Courtesy of Glacier Express AG - Stefan Schlumpf
Glacier Express
- Route: Zermatt to St. Moritz, Switzerland
- Duration: About 8.5 hours one-way
- Book now: glacierexpress.ch
- From approximately $61 (CHF49)
The spectacular Glacier Express travels through the Swiss Alps between the Alpine village of Zermatt and the holiday resort St. Moritz, weaving through natural landscapes and charming Swiss towns. The narrow train hugs the mountains and valleys for an impressive view of the countryside. It passes through Alpine landscapes at the base of the Matterhorn in the Valais region, heads up the Oberalp Pass (the route’s highest point at 6,707 feet), and offers vistas of the Rhine Gorge, which is more than 1,000 feet deep. All classes on this train have both panoramic and skylight windows, so nothing blocks your view.
Fine dining and the great outdoors meet on Rocky Mountaineer trains.
Courtesy of Rocky Mountaineer
Rocky Mountaineer Rockies to the Red Rocks
- Route: Moab, Utah, to Denver, Colorado
- Duration: two days, one night one-way
- Book now: rockymountaineer.com
- From $1,723
Rocky Mountaineer runs on several scenic North American routes, offering daylight-only rail journeys for maximum immersive viewing experiences. While the operator historically ran on Canadian rails, the 2021-launched Rockies to Red Rocks route showcases the majesty of the American West. The train runs alongside the Colorado River and through a series of canyons with dramatically steep and rugged rock walls as windows frame mountain vistas, desert cliffs, and rock formations. Keep your eyes open for bighorn sheep in the high passes.
The Pacific Surfliner makes a dozen trips daily between San Diego and Los Angeles.
Courtesy of arisdla/Unsplash
Pacific Surfliner
- Route: San Diego to Los Angeles
- Duration: About three hours one way
- Buy a ticket: pacificsurfliner.com
- From $36
Amtrak’s iconic Pacific Surfliner runs a dozen times a day between San Diego and Los Angeles, with five morning trains continuing on to Santa Barbara (just under six hours). In addition to stopping at convenient urban stations (including Anaheim for Disneyland), it offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and Southern California’s rolling hills. Between San Diego and San Juan Capistrano and then again from Ventura, the train runs along the coast. This trip makes for an enjoyable way to roll through the region’s diverse natural beauty—without the brake lights of gridlock traffic for which the area is also known. Note that the Pacific Surfliner is meant to run all the way to San Luis Obispo but, as of this writing, an Amtrak bus finishes the route from either Los Angeles or Santa Barbara, except on the trains at 4:10 a.m. and 1:10 p.m.
When the Glenfinnan Viaduct was built between 1897 and 1901, it cost £18,904, the equivalent of more than £2 million today.
Courtesy ScotRail
West Highland Line
- Route: Glasgow to Mallaig
- Duration: 5 hours 20 minutes one-way
- Book now: scotrail.co.uk
- From approximately $35 (£26)
This scenic train ride leaves Glasgow to go deep into the west coast wilderness—passing through places where no roads were ever built. Run by Scotland‘s national railway, the West Highland Line to Mallaig crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct used by the Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter movies. As you ride through a visually arresting landscape of steep-sided lochs, heather moors, and mountains, watch for red deer silhouetted against the skyline or camouflaged in the foliage. Some stations are exceptionally remote, with little else save expansive nature and a few dozen sheep for miles around.
This article was originally published in 2023 and most recently updated on August 25, 2025, with current information.
