Five Best Scenic Train Rides That Won’t Break the Bank
In this eclectic group of trains, we’re trying to go beyond the status quo and talk about the trains that you hear the most about throughout the world. We’ve been on each of these and can recommend specific aspects of them for you.
1. The Coast Starlight
As fantastic as the Eurostar train is, the Coast Starlight does it even better. The best way to do this trip is to get yourself a room in the sleeper car. It’s a long train ride spanning several days (if you do it the full way from Los Angeles to Seattle, Washington) so you’ll want to have plenty of comfort and a place to sleep.
We’ve done this trip both with sleepers and on coach, and can definitly recommend the sleeper car. It’s pricey, but really the only way to experience this most epic trip.
The best time to go might just be during winter – there are places in Oregon we passed through that were totally covered in snow. Dining in the no longer available parlor car against this snowy backdrop is the stuff of dreams.
2. The Disneyland Railroad
Although you’re unlikely to think of this famous train right away, with 6.6 million passengers a year, it is without a doubt one of the most popular steam engines in the entire world. And its impact is greater than you might think. In fact, it was Walt Disney’s love for model train building that eventually would grow into his passion for theme parks. Without the Disneyland Railroad, you simply wouldn’t have Disneyland.
This train not only makes the list due to it’s impressive popularity – it’s also one of the most unique railroad trips in the world. Instead of taking it over great distances, you get to travel around some of the most prime real estate in the world (that being Disneyland, of course) and travel from land to land to have your own adventures.
While this train is free to ride, it’s not exactly cheap to visit Disneyland. But doing so is certainly possible without breaking the bank, making this epic train ride certainly possible even for those on a budget.
3. The Eurostar Train
Speaking of popular trains – the Eurostar train has carried over 200 million passengers since it’s launch date. It’s an incredibly popular train, and taking it from London to Paris is one of the best experiences not only of train travel I’ve ever had, but of any experience I’ve ever had.
One word of advice, however, is to get the premium ticket, and ride first class. For us, we purchased our first class ticket for the same price as coach, so it’s not always an expensive option. It is, however, an entirely different experience than riding coach, with a meal served to you, stunning views, and an unparalleled experience for reasonable price.
4. Ride from London to Oxford on the Great Western Railway
There’s nothing quite like riding the train through the English countryside. On our trip, we went from London up to Oxford, and then from Oxford all the way up to Stratford Upon Avon. It’s amazing to see the English country-side by rail, and it’s certainly affordable.
5. The Pacific Surfliner
The Pacific Surfliner is easily one of the most scenic train rides in California, second only to the Coast Starlight. Via this oceanside train route, you get to stop in a bevy of iconic beach towns, and take in gorgeous vies of the ocean as you make your way down to San Diego. I once took the wrong train headed in the wrong direction as a youth, and discovered just how incredible this train ride can be. And the best part? It’s incredibly budget friendly.
