Between Switzerland and Italy, the Bernina Express, one of the most beautiful tourist trains in Europe
To board this panoramic train is to travel the highest route through the Alps. Between the point of departure - Chur, Switzerland - and your final destination - Tirano, Italy - you'll even climb to the highest point of the Rhaetian Railway, the Bernina Hospice, at 2,310 metres above sea level! It's also an opportunity to cross no fewer than 55 tunnels and 196 bridges, including the Landwasser Viaduct and the Brusio Spiral Viaduct.
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The "Trinichellu" in Corsica
Affectionately nicknamed "Trinichellu" by the inhabitants of the Isle of Beauty, the little Corsican train runs along a Y-shaped railway fromAjaccio to Bastia. A branch line also links Ponte-Leccia to Calvi, passing by Ile Rousse and the beaches of Balagne. On board the train, the landscapes you will see will be varied, between mountains, rivers and cliffs.
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The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train, one of the most beautiful tourist trains in Europe
A true international rail legend, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express allows the lucky few who can afford the journey to cross Europe. Passengers sit in one of the 17 original Orient Express carriages, which have been restored. The line now runs several times a week from London to Venice or Verona via Paris, and less frequently to Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Amsterdam, Brussels, Florence, Rome and Budapest. Once a year, the train makes the mythical journey of the Orient Express, reaching Istanbul.
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The Linha do Douro, Portugal
This Portuguese railway line follows the Douro River, starting from the centre of Porto. Destination: the picturesque village of Pocinho. Journey time: 3.5 hours. Cost: just over ten euros. No need to say more, just enjoy the ride and the view of the river and the terraced vineyards on the hills.
The Transcantabrico, surely the most beautiful tourist train in Spain
This luxury train promises its passengers a 5-star journey through the north ofSpain, "Green Spain". To travel from Galicia to the Bay of Biscay, via Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, Castilla y León, there are two options: the very luxurious "Grand Lujo" version and the slightly less luxurious "Costa Verde Express". Beyond a clear difference in price, the former follows an eight-day itinerary, while the latter takes a six-day journey.
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The Yellow Train, in the Catalan Pyrenees
A true Catalan symbol, this French tourist train is nicknamed "the canary" by the locals, due to its colour. Originally used to link the Cerdanya highlands with the rest of the Pyrenees-Orientales, the yellow train now runs for 63 kilometres between Villefranche-de-Conflent and Latour-de-Carol at an average speed of 30 km/h.
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The Belgrade - Bar line
This 476-kilometre-long railway line linking Serbia and Montenegro is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular in Europe, especially on the section that crosses the Dinaric Alps. It is here that the train crosses the highest railway bridge in Europe, the Mala Rijeka viaduct. Day or night, trains run every day of the year, allowing you to travel through the Balkans in complete peace of mind.
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The West Highland Line in Scotland
From Glasgow to Mallaig, or from Mallaig to Glasgow, via Oban or Fort William, the West Highland Line links the Scottish Highlands to centralScotland in four days! The most popular section is usually the one between Fort William and Mallaig, with its rugged landscape.
The Semmering Railway, Austria
A UNESCO World Heritage Site (it was the first railway to be listed), this railway in Austria was built between 1848 and 1854 to cross 41 kilometres of high mountains. This magnificent mountain landscape can still be experienced today between Gloggnitz and Semmering, via 16 viaducts and 15 tunnels.
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Flåmsbana, Norway
Voted "the world's most incredible train journey" by Lonely Planet in 2014, this railway line in Norway has one of the steepest gradients in the world: on the 20-kilometre journey, it descends 865 metres with a gradient of 5.55%. From inside the train you can see rivers, waterfalls and snow-capped mountains.
Where can you catch the Wonder Train?
One of the most beautiful train journeys in the world, the Train des Merveilles leaves Nice for Tende, a charming village perched on a mountainside at an altitude of 800 metres. In just over three hours, you leave the sea behind to discover breathtaking panoramas of the Paillon, Roya and Bévéra valleys.
⋙ Côte d'Azur: discover Nice and its surroundings without a car
Officially inaugurated in 1928, this line required more than 40 years of work, and is worth a visit, particularly for its unique and impressive succession of engineering structures - bridges, viaducts and other tunnels.
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