Recently it became known about the plans of the European Union to create a large network of night rail routes that will connect many cities from Lisbon to Helsinki. They want to realize their plans by 2030, and while everything is at the idea stage, we are telling you about 6 cool night railway routes around the world.
Most often, people prefer to travel by car, own or rented. It is easier, more convenient, and easiest to organize, especially since various car rental services offer the widest range of options worldwide, from offering Bentley car rental Dubai to hiring less exotic variants. However, a train ride from one point to another can already be a journey in itself. So let’s get a deeper look.
Milan – Palermo
A trip from the north of Italy to Sicily takes about 21 hours, but the pictures in the window are the most luxurious – at some point the Tyrrhenian Sea turns out to be just a few meters from the window, and in general, a lot of water will be in the viewing area for long hours. The train follows the western coast of the “boot” to the Strait of Messina, and there the most interesting thing begins: the train is disassembled into couplings of several cars and driven onto a special railway ferry, so that later, having moored, it can be connected again. It takes about half an hour to overcome the narrowest part of the strait, at this time passengers can leave the cars and skip a cup of coffee from the vending machine.
Prague – Split
A contrasting and extremely busy 21–hour road from the Czech Republic to Croatia became possible in 2020 when air traffic became limited due to the pandemic, and the carrier has kept it in its schedule to this day. The yellow comfortable RegioJet train starts from Prague Central Station, runs via the rural Czech Republic, passes Brno, shortly before it’s time to go to bed, arrives in Bratislava, and breaks into the beautiful Adriatic coast early in the morning, from where you can get to the resort you need by bus.
Cairo – Luxor
In search of a new experience in Egypt, it is worth taking a night train along a rather thorny route from the modern capital to the ancient one. The train follows the dark streets of Cairo first, sneaks along the Nile at night, and arrives in Luxor early in the morning. He overcomes the entire route in about 10 hours and 30 minutes. The sleeping places are sold by the Wataniya company, with the rest you will have to go in ordinary chairs.
Bariloche – San Antonio Oeste
A unique possibility to cross Argentina, appreciating the diversity of its scenery. The train begins its way at the foot of the Andes, near the skiing slopes and Nahuel Huapi lake in northern Patagonia. From there, with a breeze, you will fly to the coastal city of San Antonio Oeste in 14 hours to relax on the seashore or start further – to the Valdez Peninsula to watch whales.
Delhi – Jaisalmer
India has a giant network of rail routes, but one of the most interesting is from Delhi to Jaisalmer, situated in the middle of the Great Indian Desert of Tar in Rajasthan. Indian Railways offers to cover this distance in 19 hours, being impressed by the multicolored Indian architecture along the way. Jaisalmer is built up with houses that are golden like endless sands around it, and throughout the day you will overcome points that also deserve the traveler’s close attention: these are the “pink” Jaipur and the “blue” Jodhpur.
Los Angeles – Seattle
From the compartment window, you will see everything you could wish for: the ocean, mountains, lakes, pine forests, deserts, and big cities. The road runs through unforgettable places in California, Oregon, and Washington. You will fall asleep on the seashore of the Pacific Ocean, and open your eyes in the mountains – well, a fairy tale! The restaurant car offers traditional dishes from America that are part of the cost of the ticket.
