West Highland Railway. Glasgow to Mallaig https://youtu.be/oHrnBcYW6U0 If the magnificent viaduct at Glenfinnan looks familiar then it is because this was the setting for the Hogwart’s Express to steam over as it took Harry Potter to the famous school for wizards. The West Highland Line takes passengers out of the large industrial city of Glasgow and out into the wild country of Scotland’s west coast as it heads north up to the port of Mallaig. Along the way it will pass over the remote Rannoch Moor, touch the base of Scotland’s highest mountain Ben Nevis.. Media Credits: Glenfinnan Viaduct by 96tommy on Flikr

Rocky Mountaineer's First Passage to the West. Vancouver to Banff https://youtu.be/AiSyHYRMvlk Climb aboard the Rocky Mountain’s First Passage to the West in Vancouver and head off up through the beautiful scenery of the southern part of British Columbia on Canada’s west coast. This ride up to Banff is probably the most scenic and spectacular journeys in Canada taking in many stunning sights along the way and all from the luxury and comfort of your carriage. The train features high-rise top observation cars with wraparound windows to capture the full splendour of the wilderness of the Rockies. Along the way, it delivers non stop wonders as it follows the Thompson River, passing the wild white waters of Fraser Canyon’s Hell’s Gate. The ride includes an overnight stop in the lakeside town of Kamloops before returning back to the train and heading off to the final destination of Banff.. Media Credits: rocky_mountaineers_vacations by Roderick Eime on Flikr

Glacier Express. Zermatt to St Moritz https://youtu.be/bADR5QowGXc The Glacier Express is to be found high up in the ski resorts of the Swiss Alps and offers a day long journey between the picturesque and upmarket resorts of Zermatt and San Moritz. The railway threads its way through pretty hamlets, lakes and meadows and needs 91 tunnels and 291 bridges to get up past it’s highest point 6700 feet above sea level. Highlights are the Landwasser Viaduct and tunnel with the Oberalp Pass.. Media Credits: MGB-NUatschen Oberalp by Kecko on Flikr

Tranz Alpine. Christchurch to Greymouth https://youtu.be/eneyl7mEmBk The TranzAlpine will take you through the wide variety of New Zealand’s South Island as it travels from the capital Christchurch to the old gold mining town at Greymouth. As the train departs Christchurch it passes along the Waimakariri River through the lush fields and farms of the Canterbury Plains before climbing up into the mountains of the Arthur’s Pass National Park to cross the Staircase Viaduct before it then leaves the snowy summits and drops down towards the rainforests on the west coast and to the final stop at Greymouth.. Media Credits: Craigeburn Straight by David Maciulaituis on Flikr

The Ghan. Darwin to Adelaide https://youtu.be/FlTbHQBufdA A 2000 mile epic trek through the heart of Australia’s outback and heartland. Any journey through these vast and scorching hot scrublands would be a test of the most hardened adventurer, but thanks to the Ghan you can relax in air conditioned luxury. Setting off from the tropical rainforest of the north the train gives it’s passenger’s the opportunity to step off the train to take boat rides in the Nitmiluk Gorge and the famous desert town at the heart of the continent Alice Springs.. Media Credits: The Ghan by Roderick Eime on Flikr

Trans Siberian Railway. Moscow to Vladivostok https://youtu.be/Xq-QWWfCjgo It’s interesting that people say they have ‘done” the trans Siberian Railway which is an indicator of how epic the 5772 mile Trans Siberian Railway is. The railway traverses the entire length of Russia connecting the capital Moscow to the port of Vladivostok on the Pacific coast in the far east. It takes about a week to travel through the Ural Mountains and Siberian forests taking in the biggest freshwater lake in the world at Baikal and the 3227 foot long bridge over the River Ob at Novosibirsk.. Media Credits: Trans Siberian Railway by Mike on Flikr

Golden Eagle Danube Express. Prague to Istanbul https://youtu.be/kMUpIbjHzYk This is a 14 day tour of some of the finest cities and landscapes of Eastern Europe, after the train leaves Istanbul in Turkey, it takes a wander across no less than eight countries like Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria before arriving in the Czech capital of Prague. Along the way it takes in the delightful Carpathian Mountains passing Dracula's castle in Transylvania, the passengers are pampered and dined between the stop offs in the great cities along the way.. Media Credits: Golden Eagle Suite by Simon Pielow on Flikr

Rovos Rail's Namibia Safari. Pretoria to Swakopmund https://youtu.be/4vwICE_tl0g The Rovos Rail's Namibia Safari is a 2000 mile trek from the Pretoria to the German Hansa town of Swakaopmund on the Namibian coast. Along the way on this epic journey across South Africa and Namibia the train takes it's passengers through the regions finest and dramatic scenery. When it arrives at the diamond town of Kimberley and the home to what is aptly called the Big Hole which was dug by hand. Onward after Kimberley it traverses the raw beauty of the sparse landscape of the Cape and Fish River Canyon before striking out into the Kalahari and Namib deserts, taking in the Namibian capital Windhoek along the way.. Media Credits: Namibia (96) by ER Bauer

Flam Railway. Flam to Myrdal https://youtu.be/BcsxfHmDJ2g Rising 2800 feet on a ride that takes just an hour, the Flam Railway is one of Europe’s steepest and one of the world’s prettiest as it climbs from the village of Flam up to the Myrdal station on top of a mountain. From it’s starting point down at the banks of the Sognefjord the train passes ravines and waterfalls on it’s way to the summit. In summer the greenery and crystal clear cascades are a delight, and the journey becomes magical in winter when it turns into a snowy paradise.. Media Credits: Myrdal Railway Station by dennisbin on Flikr

Belmond Hiram Bingham. Cusco to Machu Picchu https://youtu.be/x_OxJJzPg6U Any visit to Peru is not complete without a trek up the Urubamba River to the world heritage site of Machu Picchu, the Inca citadel in the clouds high up in the Andes mountains. If you decide to get there from the old capital city of Cusco on the Belmond Hiram Bingham luxury train, it is going to be a decision you will never regret. Along with the sumptious carriages you also have the chance to take in the dramatic scenery. Highlights are the Sacred Valley of the Incas and passing through the tiny villages like Ollantayambo.. Media Credits: Jorge Láscar from Australia / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

Durango and Silverton Railway. Durango to Silverton https://youtu.be/U-a6GfG4toA This historic stream powered train is a magnet for rail enthusiasts and it has been running continuously since it began running in 1882. The railroad was built to carry the silver and gold that had been mined in the San Juan Mountains. Today the coal powered Old West locomotive hauls the carriages along the Animas Riverside through beautiful canyons and gorges with a chance to catch a glimpse of creatures like bears, deer and mountain lions.. Media Credits: Durango and Silverton Narrow Guage Railroad, Colorado by Stefan Serena