Classic train travel

Nostalgia, elegance, luxury, discovery, mystery – memories are made of this. Classic train travel is all in the eye of the beholder. Compiled by Bev Malzard

The North Borneo Railway.

The best train trip in the world may not be taken on the best train. The best train in the world may not take you to your favourite place. It’s all very subjective. But what is a constant is the fact that travelling by train is one of travelling’s most wonderful experiences – and the classic journeys still hold their place in travellers’ hearts. Train travel is about romance, relaxation and a journey into the past and future at the same time.

Your bags are stowed away for the duration of the trip, the seats are comfortable, you’ve got the windows to the world to sit by, and you can get to places that you may never have been able to drive, fly or walk to.

Get Up & Go has asked some savvy travel writers to share their favourite train trips.

For high adventure try the Klondike Rail Line. Hold your hat on, don’t look down, keep firmly stuck to your seat. Hope like hell you don’t fall in the ravine. Visit: www.wpyr.com
Noni Gove, Get Up & Go’s most adventurous traveller award winner, 2007

The TranzAlpine Express from Christchurch to Greymouth in New Zealand’s South Island is sensational. There’s breathtaking scenery as you traverse the wild, dramatic gorges and raging rivers of the snow-capped Southern Alps on this captivating coast-to-coast journey.
Visit: www.tranzscenic.co.nz
John Maddocks, travel writer and photographer

The best trip I ever had was onboard the Rocky Mountaineer on a two-day, all-daylight train journey from Vancouver to Banff through the magnificent Canadian Rockies along the Journey through the Clouds route. Visit: www.rockymountaineer.com
Jennifer Berry, journalist

Eastern & Oriental Express – the train is an evocative mix of bygone elegance with contemporary comfort. Watch the fascinating countryside and the lifestyles of the locals roll by. On board, the food and service is unsurpassed. Freecall 1800 000 395. Visit: www.orient-express.com
Maggy Oehlbeck, travel writer and bon vivant

An Indian princess on her honeymoon, a Scottish tycoon, an Irish archae-ologist and a charming French couple were fellow passengers aboard the Eastern and Oriental  Express from Chiang Mai to Bangkok - no kidding. Sheer luxury and indulgence and a great way to travel.
Sue Wallace, travel writer

The North Borneo Railway is the oldest running steam train in Sabah and Borneo. I loved this half-day nostalgic trip. The old steam train heads into the jungle, past paddy fields, rubber and coffee plantations, and villages along the way. We had a ‘tiffin’ lunch, waved at the children by the tracks and were transported back to a bygone era. Visit: www.suteraharbour.com
Tony Butler, Get Up & Go contributor

Travelling by train all over Switzerland by high-speed rail is amazing. I took ten days and got on and off to enjoy the towns in between Marseille and St Moritz – that I may not have made if I hadn’t been travelling by train. Visit: www.swisstravelsystem.ch
Also the ‘Lunatic Express’ from Nairobi to Mombasa in Kenya. What a trip! I was warned to keep my feet away from the window (I was on the top bunk) in case ‘wild animals’ wanted to eat my feet. It was an overnighter and at morning light there were kids running alongside the train as it choofed by their villages.
Bev Malzard, travel writer and editor of Get Up & Go

From Los Mochis to Chihuahua by train. It was a 13-hour trip from Mexico’s coast, fighting mountainous terrain up to 2500 metres via loops, switchbacks, tunnels and bridges. Stupendous scenery top-billed by the 2000m-deep Copper Canyon.
Patrick Horton, travel writer, author and photographer

My best rail trip ever was with my mum – from Holland – on her inaugural Aussie Outback trip aboard The Ghan to Darwin. Experiencing the Outback in style with her was priceless! Visit: www.gsr.com.au
Philip Engelberts, Principal PEPR Publicity

Eurostar – from the moment you arrive at St Pancras in London you get a feeling that this trip will be special. Check-in is done and dusted in 10 minutes then on to the train. I was lucky to be in Eurostar’s equivalent of a business class cabin. As you settle into your large seat, a glass of bubbles is offered and just as the train gathers momentum through the English countryside a lovely meal with wine is served. Then time for a coffee or a nap before rolling into Gard du Nord and the centre of Paris . . .oh, so easy! Visit: www.raileurope.com.au
Richard Leonard, Australasia’s Rail Europe Manager

Travelling as a child between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls our steam train shuddered to a halt. Wiping soot from my eyes, I watched elephants lumber across the tracks, youngsters gripping their mothers’ tails with tiny trunks.
Rob Woodburn, travel writer and photographer

Touring the Scottish highlands – with daily jaunts away from the Royal Scotsman train. On board: ensuite cabins, fine dining on Scottish produce, five-star service, the bar whisky-stocked, and everything included in the price. Visit: www.orient-express.com
Sally Hammond, author and travel writer

The best train trip I ever took was, without doubt, the least glamorous. Ten years ago, on my first visit to Thailand, I hopped on the overnight rattler from teeming Bangkok to serene Chiang Mai. I didn’t know it then but I was journeying towards a new life and a city I would come to call my spiritual home.
Kristie Kellahan, travel writer (Ms Kellahan volunteers her time, up to three months of the year at an orphanage in Chiang Mai, Thailand.)

The World Heritage-listed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is by far my favourite. Small diesel trains, sometimes replaced with steam trains, chug through the tea plantations before winding their way up to the mountains. They eventually arrive at the atmospheric former British Raj hill station of Darjeeling. The journey takes three hours from Kurseong, or more than seven hours from New Jalpaiguri.
Marc Llewellyn, Travel journalist and editor

Spoil yourself. Queenslander Class is the ideal way to experience the picturesque coastal stretch between Brisbane and Cairns. I shared this journey with my sister and we sat back, relaxed and watched the breathtaking scenery roll by while being pampered every step of the way.

The Sunlander has been voted Australia’s favourite rail journey and amongst the world’s top 25 rail journeys, and Queenslander Class encompasses the very best this rail service has to offer.

Perfect for us astute, indulgent travellers, the Queenslander class rail experience exceeded expectations. A dedicated maitre d’ ensured our every need was catered to from the moment we were welcomed aboard. The service was spectacular.

Panoramic windows made the most of the stunning scenery en route – from the pineapple plantations of the Sunshine Coast to the sugarcane fields of Innisfail and the lush splendour of the tropics of Cairns. There were many postcard moments.

Onboard dining was a highlight of Queenslander Class. All meals were prepared by an expert onboard chef, and were complemented by an award winning selection of Queensland wines. The signature seafood platter, delivered direct from trawler to train in Townsville, was undoubtedly one of the culinary highlights. In fact the food was amazing and the lovely touch of having fresh scones and tea not long after we departed Brisbane was a treat.

We met some new friends in the Lounge car and enjoyed the live entertainment while not being able to move after dinner.

Returning to our private cabin we found our beds turned down and ready for a good night’s sleep. (Each Queenslander Class cabin is appointed with a host of special touches.)

Queenslander Class cabins feature a two-seater lounge which converts to twin bunk style beds by night. All guests receive a complimentary wet pack, robes and slippers. Fresh crisp bed linen and towels are also included. All cabins are air conditioned and are adorned with Queensland’s state floral emblem – the Cooktown Orchid.

Australian Government Seniors Card holders receive a discount of 20% off the full adult fare when travelling in Queenslander Class. Concessions of up to 50% on full adult rail fares apply on other Traveltrain services.

Contact: Traveltrain Holidays on 1800 TRAINS (872 467), or visit traveltrain.com.au