The 11 Coolest Train Trips in the World

This beautiful trip will take you through the scenic meadows, mountains, and storybook villages situated between Zermatt and St. Moritz. It is recognized as Europe's slowest train, traveling at an average of 24 mph, but the seven and a half hours will be well spent sipping wine and watching it all unfold through the panoramic windows and skylights.

Travel in luxury through eight time zones across Russia's mysterious and rarely visited landscape. You can attend live performances or learn the Russian language as the beautiful Mongolian scenery passes by. Grab a vodka and relive the old, strange tales that have been lived by princesses and spies from Moscow over the Urals.

This is the way to truly see America. The 2,438-mile, 52-hour trip brings passengers from Chicago to San Francisco. Don't worry — if you don't want to make the entire journey you can choose exactly where to begin and end. Sit back and watch the changing scenery unfold knowing that you're crossing over lands no highway would ever show you.

This 36-passenger vintage luxury train gives the ultimate Scottish experience, journeying from Edinburgh and around the Scottish Highlands. You can rent a kilt, have it custom-tailored, photograph the idyllic countryside, and pass by ancient castles. Indulge in a flute of Champagne and sleep peacefully during the four-night trip as the train pulls into the station before bed.

This exquisite train once transported ruling maharajas, but today it journeys between Delhi and Mumbai, carrying 88 passengers, on trips that last from three to seven nights. Visit some of India's most famous destinations, including Agra's Taj Mahal, Jaipur, and Udaipur. It's a colorful and luxurious journey fit with fine dining, tour managers, and waiters on board.

From Banff to Vancouver: if you're looking for a journey that's packed with as much scenery as it is adventure, this is it. The Canadian Rockies are a difficult place to explore, but this train has oversize domed windows so that you won't miss a bit of it. Chug past turquoise glacier-fed lakes, go on a whale-watching excursion, sightsee in Jasper National park, and meet fellow travelers while you dine on board.

This route takes about four and a half hours from Christchurch to Greymouth, New Zealand. It's a journey full of natural beauty that was made for travelers with comfortable seats and large, clear windows. Passengers can gaze out across the Southern Alps of the country or make their way to the open-air carriage to breathe in the crisp, fresh air.

This Argentinian train service, otherwise known as Tren a las Nubes, connects the country to the Chilean border. The high-altitude trip starts low in Salta and eventually reaches 4,200 meters above sea level. Cross 29 bridges, through 21 tunnels, around two spirals and two zigzags — it's a unique journey that hasn't yet lost its magic.

The Venice Simplon-Orient Express is one of the most famous and storied carriages in the world. Elegant, glamorous, and romantic, it originally ran between Paris and Istanbul, but the train now links London, Paris, and Venice. With art deco decor and a luxurious vibe on board, it feels like a step back in time.

There's a reason driving up the Pacific Coast is one of America's most classic road trips — the dramatic beauty is unreal. Amtrak's Coast Starlight route hits all of the same highlights . . . and then some. Passengers will pass by Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, Oregon's Cascade mountains, the San Francisco Bay, and Mount Shasta and continue on along California's Pacific Coast Highway.

Roll through a sea of green, over bridges, and past waterfalls, mountains, and stunning tea plantations on this route from Ella to Kandy. It's a seven-hour trip that is often thought to be one of the most scenic train rides in the world! Extremely affordable and not just for tourists, it will most definitely give you a taste of Sri Lankan culture.