Virtual Train Rides: Scenic Journeys Around the World

While the coronavirus pandemic may have us cooped up at home, it doesn’t mean that we have to forgo our vacations to distant lands.  With the help of technology, you can now take a leisurely journey through the Swiss countryside, explore the Andes in Peru or see the cherry blossoms in Japan by way of virtual train rides.  You can even travel the real Hogwarts Express through Scotland! 
All aboard for these adventures:

Bernina Express, Switzerland. This is by far one of the best virtual train rides available.  This two-hour virtual trip takes you from St. Moritz in the Alps to Tirano, Italy on the Mediterranean coast via the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes, which links two historic rail lines through remote areas of the Alps. You be travelling through the highest railway crossing on the highest adhesion railway in Europe. 

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Pike’s Peak, Colorado.  From the heights of the Alps to North America’s highest train, this quick ride up to Pike’s Peak provides a 360-degree view of your trip  to 14,115 ft on Manitou Springs' world famous Cog Railway.  It’s a short trip, but well worth the watch.

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North West Coast Line – Chester, England to Holyhead, Wales.  This virtual journey takes you along the north coast of Wales, and provides a wonderful commentary on what you are seeing as you travel through the countryside.

Amtrak’s Southwest Chief – Chicago to Los Angeles.   Once considered the “Train of the Stars”, this narrated journey takes you from farmland to the prairie, through the Rockies and the southwest until reaching it’s final stop in Los Angeles.  

Jacobite Steam Train – Highlands, Scotland.  If you are a Harry Potter fan, this virtual train ride is right up your alley!  The West Highland Line is the exact trip featured in the films.  While it’s not Hogwart’s Express, it is a pretty ride through the Highlands of Scotland – and you’ll catch one or two familiar scenes from the movies.

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Ferrocarril Centro Andino, Peru.  This 4-part series takes you on a scenic ride from the port of Callao up to the Galera railway station in the Andes.  You’ll see beautiful vistas of the countryside and many points of interest along the way.

Flåm Railway, Norway. Considered one of the most scenic journeys in the world, the Flåm Railway in Norway travels from the end of Aurlandsfjord, a tributary of the Sognefjord, up to the high mountains at Myrdal station. Along the way, you’ll pass waterfalls, deep ravines, snow-capped mountains, and high-altitude farms, all while watching the weather shift from sun to rain.

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Venice to London on the Simplon Orient Express. One of the most romanticized trips is aboard the Orient Express.  While the original Orient Express doesn’t exist anymore, there is a joint venture that operates as the Simplon Orient Express.  They have restored the carriages from the original trains, and operate from Venice to London and other lines through Europe.  This video takes you on a tour of the cars as well as narrates the 3-day journey from Venice to London – giving you a small taste of what it must have been to travel on this opulent train.

We hope these “trips” take you to places that you have wanted to visit.  When you are ready for your next in-person trip, give Luxury Destinations Concierge a call at (805) 236-4437.  We’ll help you plan an unforgettable trip!