Rail journeys where the train is part of the experience

Sri Lanka: up into the tea hills

The hill-country line from Kandy via Nuwara Eliya to Ella is probably Sri Lanka's most famous train ride, and with reason. The train climbs slowly through tea estates, past waterfalls and small stations where snacks are sold on the platform, and windows and doors often stay open, so cool mountain air fills the carriage. It is slow, so plan it as a day in its own right rather than a transfer.

The line is very popular, so reserved seats in season are worth arranging early; some travellers drive part of the way and take the train only for the finest stretch.

Norway: across the plateau and down to the fjord

The Bergen Railway between Oslo and Bergen crosses a high mountain plateau where patches of snow can linger even in summer, and in winter everything is white to the horizon. At Myrdal you can change to the Flåm Railway, which drops steeply past waterfalls and through tunnels to the Flåm valley at the head of the fjord. From there a ferry on the Nærøyfjord and on into the Sognefjord – and a day that began in the capital ends at the water's edge among the mountains.

Japan: more than the bullet train

In Japan the train is the backbone of any journey, and the shinkansen links cities so smoothly that the ride between them becomes a rest. But the most interesting lines are often local: small trains through mountain valleys, coastal lines with the sea beside you, and routes where on a clear day Mount Fuji fills the window. Kyushu and Shikoku also have dedicated sightseeing trains, where the carriage interiors and the view are the whole point.

Don't forget ekiben – the station bentō boxes that differ from region to region. Lunch on the train with local dishes is one of Japan's most pleasant rituals.

A train lets you do what neither a plane nor a car allows: simply look.

Canada, Italy and Malaysia: three different tempos

In Canada, the train between the Rockies and the Pacific is a slow experience on a grand scale: panoramic carriages, river valleys, canyons and forests that seem to have no end. It is a fine alternative to a long drive from Jasper or Banff to Vancouver, especially if you'd like a break from the wheel.

In northern Italy, the train is simply the easiest way to travel. From Milan to Lake Como, on to Lake Garda, to Verona and finally Venice – every leg is short, and arriving in Venice by train, as the tracks cross the lagoon, is one of the loveliest ways to reach the city. Between the lakeside towns, the boat is best.

In Malaysia and Singapore, the railway links very different worlds. From Singapore by road via Malacca to Kuala Lumpur, then modern trains north towards Ipoh and Penang. Along the way you can stop in the cool tea estates of the Cameron Highlands, and end the journey on the beaches of Langkawi.

Why a day on the train is worth more than it seems

After a long-haul flight and a change of time zone, a day on the train can be a real gift: you sit, you watch, perhaps you doze, and the journey still moves forward. Unlike driving, your attention stays on the landscape rather than the road signs. For families with children, a carriage is often more comfortable than a car – you can stand up, walk about, have a snack.

The train also lets you see everyday life: people travelling to work or market, small stations that appear on no guidebook list, vendors offering tea or local snacks. These moments rarely become the “highlights” of a trip, but they are often what you remember.

Norway and Italy are close to Lithuania, so a rail journey through their mountains or lake country works for a long weekend or a week without a long-haul flight. Sri Lanka, Japan, Canada and Malaysia need more time, but there the day on the train is often the one you remember first.

How to plan a rail journey

• Give the finest stretch a day of its own – not the evening after a flight or the morning before one.
• Reserve seats on the most popular panoramic and mountain trains well ahead in peak season.
• Travel light: large suitcases on trains and at small stations are often more trouble than you expect.
• Combine with a boat or a car where the rails don't reach, so the journey stays flexible.

If you like to travel slowly and watch the world through the window, the train can become the spine of the whole journey. Tell us what draws you, and we'll explore the possibilities from there.