Unique Train Rides to experience at least once in a lifetime..

They say it is the journey that matters more than the destination. While this is difficult to apply to flying, it is unquestionably true with rail travel.

Nothing like a train ride for romance and an opportunity for window-side sightseeing. And it's not always that you come across a train ride that will be stuck in your memory forever, but we're sure, that without a doubt, the below ones will. So sit back and buckle up for some unique train rides that you should experience at least once in a lifetime.

Kandy to Ella, Sri Lanka

The train ride from Kandy to Ella in Sri Lanka is known as one of the most beautiful and delightful train trips you’ll ever come across. Moving through staggering scenes of lush greenery, mountains, cascading waterfalls, tea manors, and beautiful villages as local kids run around the train tracks, this train journey will surely leave you impressed and is one of the best methods to travel from Kandy to Ella.

The old-fashioned train is well known for its open windows and doors, which is a favourite among people who want to feel the wind through their hair as they take the journey to the mountains of Sri Lanka. Due to this, it is very common to find travellers coming from all over the world just to experience the scenery and is among one of the most famous things to do on the Island.

Apart from the scenery, the train and the locals itself is a witness to Sri Lanka’s unique culture. As the train starts to move, the friendly locals gather around to sing songs and play drums, while others play card games and savour the food brought from various vendors that walk up and down the aisle. You can purchase delicious Sri Lankan snacks such as pickles, juicy pineapples, guava, and even chai tea.

But the most exciting part of the whole journey is when the train goes through the dense forest of the Horton Planes National Park. At the sight of this, the whole train goes silent as all the passengers take in the stunning beauty of the tiny Island, Sri Lanka. To experience this at its best, always make sure to get a seat near the window.

Overall, the Kandy to Ella train ride is surely a jaw-dropping experience. It is the ideal journey for anyone to experience with their family, or partner, or even for solo travellers. So visit us at Holidayscapes and get a customised tour package to Sri Lanka or a couples tour package to Sri Lanka and let a train ride like you’ve never seen before begin.

The Orient Express

If one had to choose three words to describe Belmond's Venice Simplon Orient Express, it would be nostalgia, Romance, and glamour all in one. Being the inspiration of famous writers such as Agatha Christie, The Orient Express is a dream that had become a reality. Today, many travellers wish to experience a ride in this golden age of travel via the train and only a lucky few get to actually make it happen.

The reasons for its popularity are simple, most know it through the book "Murder on the Orient Express" written by Agatha Christie. But apart from that, it is famous for its luxury. The cabins of this train have been successfully restored to 1920s cars, which are quite small yet unique. In the evening a banquette converts to a twin bed along with twin cabins that feature the top berth for the second guest. Each cabin has its wash basin along with a lavatory at the end of each car. Extravagant cherry-wood panelling and vintage details beautify the cabins which will certainly take you back in time.

But if you want the ultimate experience, make sure to book one of the three grand suites. Each of these suites encompasses an entire train car and is made in such a way that it reflects the city. They also include a double bed, and en-suite bathroom along with a shower and a sitting area.

A typical French chef prepares a multi-course meal for lunch and dinner that is centered on regional delicacies. For lunch and dinner, there are two seatings, and tables are reserved. The three meticulously restored 1920s dining carriages each have a distinctive interior. Breakfast and afternoon tea are served in your cabin.

The best way to spend the afternoon is to take in the breathtaking vistas of Italy and Austria after the welcome glass of Champagne in your cabin and a three-course meal in one of the dining cars. Of course, you cannot pass up the chance to enjoy pre-or post-dinner drinks and conversation in the stunning Bar Car, "3674," where you can sip on the "Guilty 12" signature drink, which alludes to the twelve suspects in Agatha Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express" and sample the legendary "Chaos" cocktail.

A day on the orient express will surely make you feel like you travelled back in time to the luxurious train that never fails to impress. It’s definitely worth it and is surely something that you should experience at least once in your lifetime.

Hanoi to Da Nang, Vietnam

Being rich in culture, the capital of Vietnam is a great sight in itself, but admiring its beauty through a train ride is the ideal way to add a cherry on top of a train ride that one would call unique. It would be a huge opportunity lost if visitors don’t take their time to admire the scenery of Vietnam.

Thus one of the best methods to do this is through the Reunification Express. The section from Hanoi to Da Nang is a beautiful experience in and of itself. Miles beneath the canopy of the jungle stand in contrast to close-up views of communities and breathtaking cliffside glimpses of the South China Sea. French colonial buildings and pagodas that date back a century can be seen in Da Nang.

The word beautiful does not do justice to the Vietnamese countryside as it is way more than that. The train swiftly moves through the waking streets of the Hue suburbs and shortly rushes through ponds full of blossoming lotus flowers, rice fields, and humungous limestone cliffs, jutting straight out of the ground. Just moments later the scenery changes and large agricultural areas surround the moving train, with the flat plains dotted with water buffalo’s and the bamboo conical hats of farmers.

Once the sun begins to set and the journey comes closer to an end, darkness creeps in through the tiny villages where men gather around short tables on plastic stools, playing cards and drinking beer. This is without a doubt the ideal way to experience the beauty of the country and its culture all in one. So make sure to get a tour package to Vietnam and take the Reunification Express for a train ride that you'll never forget.

Overall, since modes of travel are an important part of a vacation, make sure to always include a train ride on your bucket list. The above 3 train rides are bound to leave you amazed as soon as they start moving through the train tracks. So pack your bags and buckle up for a train ride like never before.