Adventure on rails
Are you looking for an original vacation? How about turning the train, which is usually just a means of transportation, into the main object of your trip? Famous tourist trains are numerous in France and around the world. From the most luxurious to the most breathtaking, there are some for all travelers and lovers of unusual stays: board the Mont Blanc train to discover this mythical summit, immerse yourself in the history of the Orient Express or cross the United States. thanks to California Zéphyr.
French tourist trains are a perfect opportunity to discover heritage from a unique and unusual angle. Thus, during a stay in the Alps, you can admire Mont Blanc from all angles thanks to the line which crosses the entire Chamonix valley and to various trains which bear the name of this famous summit of the Northern Alps. The station is thus the starting point of a cogwheel train, recognizable by its red color, which takes you to the foot of the Mer de Glace, at an altitude of 1913 meters! The Mont Blanc tramway, managed by the same company, will then take you to an altitude of more than 2000 meters after climbing the cliff side. There are cheap tickets thanks to the pass, which also includes the Aiguille du Midi funicular.
From Corsica to the Jura
Another train with stunning views is on the island of Beauty: U Trinighellu, which means trembling, crisscrosses Corsica between sea and mountains. A unique opportunity to discover the wildest landscapes of Corsica, which cars cannot access.
The mountain trains are generally very spectacular and the Hirondelles train in the Jura is no exception to this rule. Built at the start of the 18th century, this line uses 36 viaducts and XNUMX tunnels. It overlooks the Jura forests and passes in particular near the Royal Saltworks of Arc et Senans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The myth of the Orient Express
One of the most famous trains in the world was also recently brought up to date: the Orient Express. This luxury train began to operate in 1883, at the time it linked Paris to Istanbul via several major European cities and capitals: Vienna, Venice… Today, the Orient Express company offers various trips lasting several days to across Europe, in luxurious and refined trains, true works of art in the Art Deco style. The rooms are as comfortable as in a luxury hotel and the meals are cooked by real chefs. Obviously, tickets are very expensive but the experience promises to be unforgettable like this Paris - Budapest - Bucharest - Istanbul, in 5 days, at more than 6 euros all the same…
Entire continents to cross
Formerly built to discover the territories of immense countries, transcontinental trains are also an unusual stay. The legendary Trans-Siberian line stretches for more than 9 kilometers! It joins Moscow in Vladivostok by crossing the icy plains of Siberia and in particular Lake Baikal, but variants exist such as the transmongolian line which runs through the Mongolian steppes to Beijing. In the United States, the California Zephyr, built during the conquest of the West, also allows an East - West connection, like the famous Route 000. From Chicago to San Francisco, you thus discover the banks of the Mississippi , the Rocky Mountains, the Nevada Desert and the Pacific Coast of California.
Extreme trains
There is a final category of unusual trains for tourists, those called "extreme", which run for example at very high altitude. They are numerous in South America, in the Andes Cordillera. In Argentina, the Cloud Train takes you & agraagrave; over 4 meters above sea level after a 200 hour trip. This train takes several viaducts and tunnels as well as spectacular railway constructions: 7 "corkscrews": the track makes a complete turn and thus passes again above itself; and 2 zigzags: the train stops on the side of the cliff and sets out on a new track in reverse (this to avoid the winding turns, impossible to achieve)! This trip allows you to discover the vertiginous landscapes of the Andes.
Most of these tourist trains have sleeping cars, when the trip lasts several days, as well as restaurants for lunch between two stages.
For more information:
Visit the various official websites of these tourist trains:
- Compagnie du Mont Blanc
- The Trinighello
- Swallow Train
– Orient Express
- Trans-Siberian
– California Zephyr
- Train of the clouds
