Latest news with #train travel
Condé Nast Traveler
a minute ago
- Condé Nast Traveler
Women Who Travel Podcast: The Allure of European Night Trains
Sponsored By Get Your Guide. You can listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify each week. Follow this link if you're listening on Apple News. The idea of train travel commands an immediate allure, and come nighttime, that intrigue is only dialed up. Our guest this week is award-winning travel writer and journalist Monisha Rajesh, whose new book Moonlight Express: Around the World By Night Train chases dusk across Europe's most legendary railways, from Austria's Nightjet to the Scotland's Caledonian Sleeper. Lale chats with Rajesh about the endearing nostalgia of train travel, the reality of riding the Orient Express, and her favorite mementos gathered from globe-trotting by track. Lale Arikoglu: Hi there. I'm Lale Arikoglu, and I am so happy this week to have one of our favorite returning guests on Women Who Travel. She's journalist and award-winning travel writer, Monisha Rajesh, who was on Women Who Travel's Power List in the past, she is a regular contributor to Conde Nast Traveler, and her new book is about night train trips across Europe, the magic and the mayhem. It is lovely to have you back on the podcast. You are our go-to woman about train travel, I'm going to say in the simplest plainest terms. You have a new book coming out later this year in November, correct? Monisha Rajesh: Yes, I have. Yes. LA: Called Moonlight Express: Around the World by Night Train, a mode of transport that I love and romanticize. In that book, you say you've traveled on over 200 train journeys for over 15 years. That's an unbelievable amount of trains. What's the reason for this I was going to say a passion, but it really seems a little bit more of an obsession?
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
I spent 200 hours solo traveling across America by train... here is what the experience was REALLY like
A woman who has traveled over 8,000 miles across the US by train has shared the hidden gems most Americans don't know about. Chloé Höglund, 34, who is originally from New Zealand, went on a solo trip around America on Amtrak sleeper trains earlier this year. She visited a whopping 26 states and spent nearly 200 hours on trains, and along the way, she witnessed a series of beautiful sights. 'I basically drew a rectangle across the map of America - New York to Seattle, down the Pacific Coast, across the deserts to New Orleans, and up the East Coast to New York again,' she shared exclusively with the Daily Mail. 'I saw a mix of big-name spots and tiny towns I'd never even heard of until the train stopped there.' Chloé gushed that there were 'so many amazing views' but the place that stood out to her the most was Washington state. 'I loved it - mountains, rivers, bridges, snow-capped peaks, big trees - it had everything I love,' she explained. According to the avid traveler, even the more 'boring' states surprised her by their beauty. 'Even the "boring" or flatter states had beauty in them - whether it was quirky houses, farm animals, or strange little structures in the middle of nowhere,' she continued. 'I found something to enjoy everywhere. Nothing went unappreciated on my end.' While many people choose to travel via plane, Chloé explained that taking a train gives you the opportunity to explore places between your starting point and destination. She added that time seems to 'slow down' when you're on a train, and it's a lot less stressful than getting on a flight since there are no security lines and TSA. 'Days stretch out, scenery unfolds, and you get to be fully present,' she shared. 'It's slow in the best way. You can read, nap, chat with strangers (which I had to practice doing as I was terrified), or just watch the world roll by without worrying about traffic or airport delays. 'It feels nostalgic, cinematic, and a bit magical. It's like pressing pause on real life for a few days.' She said traveling via train helped give her a taste of so many different places, and she can now pick which ones she wants to go back to and visit more thoroughly. 'Sure, you might not fully explore every destination you pass through, but I think of it more like a little preview of places I'd love to come back to,' she explained. 'My travel list has grown massively just from watching the world roll by on Amtrak.' Chloé, who estimated that she spent $5,000 on the train tickets during the trip, slept on a bed on the train, and while she admitted the rooms were a little 'cramped,' she said they felt 'cozy' to her. 'The rooms are tiny but honestly, I love tiny spaces, so it didn't feel like a downside to me. It's a bit like camping… but with walls, bumps, horns, and a moving bed,' she joked. 'The gentle rocking helps you sleep (usually), and waking up to a new view out your window feels like a little gift every morning. I loved the surprise of opening my curtains to a new view each day.' There were some downsides, however, like some crew members who 'seemed like they hated their jobs' and rooms not always being the cleanest. There were some downsides, however, like some crew members who 'seemed like they hated their jobs' and rooms not always being the cleanest 'Unfortunately, Amtrak's rooms weren't exactly sparkling clean - not awful, but definitely not spotless,' she shared. The Wi-Fi was also 'unreliable' and the service was usually spotty, but she added, 'I kind of enjoy the forced disconnect of it all, it's all part of the charm of slow travel.' In the end, she wanted to remind others that travel doesn't 'always need to be fast of fancy to be memorable.' 'It's such a different way of traveling - you're not in control like you are on a road trip. You have to give in to the journey, surrender to the pace,' she concluded. 'It kind of forces you to be 'bored' and relax in the best way possible. Read that book you've been putting off, daydream, watch the clouds… it's good for the soul.'
Travel Weekly
5 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
All aboard! Demand for rail travel picks up steam
With rail travel bookings surging both this year and next, tour operators are adding itineraries and product. Railbookers has seen a 35% jump in year-over-year bookings for 2025 and a 51% increase for 2026 compared to the same time last year. The operator also owns Amtrak Vacations, which has seen a 15% increase in 2025 bookings year over year. The rail specialists are not the only ones observing a spike in demand for train travel. Intrepid Travel added six itineraries to its rail travel collection in July after unveiling the tours last year and seeing a 24% increase in bookings so far this year. Intrepid Travel expanded its rail itineraries in July after seeing increased interest in the travel style over the last year. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Intrepid Travel G Adventures debuted a rail collection in April that features itineraries with more than 50% of travel by train. G Adventures director of product Sean Benner said the collection was receiving a "ton of engagement" and that G already has plans to expand rail offerings due to the popularity. "We've seen [with] the tours that have been tagged as rail collection, the sales are going up on those," Benner said. "It is a trend that we've been aware of, and it's exciting to see the engagement that we're getting out of it." Tour operators and travel advisors cited various factors fueling demand to ride the rails, from new product to social media to nostalgia for the slower travel of the past. "We've found that it really appeals to travelers looking for more thoughtful, immersive journeys that reduce their environmental impact," said Intrepid spokesperson Hannah Choat. "While sustainability plays a role, the appeal of rail today is equally about pace, presence and deeper connection." Angela Walker, the vice president of operations at The Society of International Railway Travelers, said social media and nostalgia has fueled increased interest in rail travel. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Angela Walker Angela Walker, vice president of operations for The Society of International Railway Travelers, a travel agency that specializes in luxury rail travel, also said slow travel is a major draw for clients opting for luxury rail itineraries. Travelers enjoy the time spent on trains meeting other passengers, enjoying cocktails while watching the scenery go by and indulging in multicourse meals, she said. "It is about the journey as well as the destination," Walker said. That was echoed by Benner, who said that slow, immersive travel and rail journeys go hand in hand. Rail travel differs from country to country, he added, providing a different experience based on the destination and a unique glimpse into the lives of locals. "You're traveling with commuters who are going to work every day," Benner said of G Adventures' itineraries. And he added that the experience "hits perfectly to our sort of ethos, the grassroots of community travel and being there with the community and experiencing it as a local." A passenger train in Poland, with the Tatra Mountains in the background. Photo Credit: Courtesy of G Adventures New trains, vintage experiences Social media is also driving the trend, operators said. Take the iconic bullet trains in Japan or sleeper trains in India, for example. Those types of experiences, frequently shared on social media, can fuel desire to visit those destinations, Benner said. Walker said that with social media picking up on the travel style, it appears to be in "the zeitgeist a little bit more than it used to be." She also credited the premiere of new luxury trains this year as enticing travelers to get onboard. Belmond launched its Britannic Explorer in England and Wales earlier this month, while La Dolce Vita Orient Express made its debut in Italy in April along with the Golden Eagle Silk Road Express in China, Walker said. "It doesn't happen very often that a new train comes along, much less three," she said. Though business at the Society of International Railway Travelers has remained steady, Walker said clients are skewing younger. Luxury rail is no longer only for retirees, she said, adding that she sees more Gen X and millennial clients. Walker said nostalgia is also a factor, pointing to the personal connection many travelers have with rail travel, whether it's a family member's connection to the railroad or a childhood fascination with trains. Luxury train itineraries will sometimes feature a night when passengers dress in 1920s-inspired outfits, a nod to a heyday of rail travel. Jackie DeAntonis, a Scott Dunn private travel manager, agreed and said the allure of the throwback experience proves to be a motivator for rail travelers. "Our guests love the idea of dressing up for a glamorous dinner onboard and connecting with fellow travelers," she said. "But even more important than the glamour is the opportunity rail travel affords them to explore lesser-known regions and experience magical moments."
The Guardian
21-07-2025
- The Guardian
Thrill of the night train: from Vienna to Rome on the next-gen moonlight express
Toasted ham baguettes in hand, we cheered as the new-generation Nightjet drew into Vienna Hauptbahnhof. It was a little before 7pm, and as the carriages hummed past I felt a rush of joy, like celebrity trainspotter Francis Bourgeois, but without the GoPro on my forehead. For more than three years I've been documenting the renaissance of sleeper trains, and I'd wondered if I might one day tire of them. But the thrill seems only to intensify each time I embark on another nocturnal adventure, this time with my two daughters – aged eight and five – who were already arguing over the top berth. The first four carriages were designated for travellers to the Italian port city of La Spezia, the other seven carrying on to Roma Tiburtina, where we would alight at 10am. Once in Rome we had 24 hours to eat classic carbonara, dark chocolate gelato, and bike around the Villa Borghese before taking a train to Florence. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) has played the lead role in resuscitating Europe's night trains. Towards the end of 2016, ÖBB launched its Nightjet network on 14 routes, using old rolling stock it bought from Deutsche Bahn. Then, to the delight of train nerds like me, it launched a brand-new fleet at the end of 2023, and now operates 20 routes across Europe. We were now on board this high-spec service, which smelled of freshly unpacked furniture, the carpets soft underfoot, the lighting adjustable to disco hues of neon blue and punk pink. We were booked into a couchette carriage, which mostly comprisesd mini cabins designed for solo travellers preferring privacy. Placing shoes and small bags in lockers, passengers can open a metal door with a keycard and crawl into their single berth, drawing the door closed around them, and not have to look at another human until morning. Last year I had trialled the mini cabins from Vienna to Hamburg alongside a tall friend who had likened the experience to sleeping inside a bread bin, though I hadn't found it as claustrophobic as I'd feared, just a bit hard, chilly, and with a pillow as flat as a postage stamp. So I was curious to see how the carriage's four-person private compartments, for families and groups, would differ. Normally happy to share with strangers, I'd booked a whole compartment for the three of us: more to protect other hapless travellers from my children, who were now swinging off the berths like members of Cirque du Soleil, their sweaty socks strewn under the seats. With raised sides, the upper berths were safe for the girls to sleep in without rolling out, and I set about tucking in their sheets while they settled down to finish their baguettes. There is no dining car on the Nightjet, so we'd bought food from the station, which was now moving backwards as the train sailed out of the Austrian capital in silence, smoothly curving south-west. Two days earlier we'd arrived in Vienna by train from London, via Paris, and had checked into the Superbude Wien Prater, a curious hotel that appeared part art-installation, part hostel, with gen Zs slouched around worn leather sofas on MacBooks. With four-bed family cabins overlooking the Prater amusement park, it was a great location from which to explore the city, then finish the evening with a terrifying rollercoaster and a spicy Bitzinger wurst. A friend had described Vienna to me as a grand and beautiful 'retirement village', but, on the contrary, its green spaces, playgrounds and museums made it an easy stop for 48 hours with kids. Hopping off the Nightjet from Paris, we'd gone straight to my favourite restaurant, Edelgreisslerei Opocensky – an unassuming nook serving homely dishes such as stuffed gnocchi, and goulash with dumplings – before whiling away an afternoon at the Children's Museum at Schönbrunn Palace. Dressing up like young Habsburgs, the girls had swanned around in wigs and musty gowns, laying tables for banquets and begging not to leave – a far cry from our usual museum experiences. Before boarding this train we'd had one last run around the interactive Technical Museum, where the human-sized hamster wheels, peg games and slides had so worn out the children that my five-year-old was asleep as the train plunged into the Semmering mountain pass. It was still light as we swept around the Alps, my eight-year-old kneeling at the window and asking where local people shopped, so few and far between were signs of human life. Horses grazed in paddocks, cows nuzzled, and the occasional hamlet emerged from round a bend as though the chalets were shaken like dice and tossed into the slopes. In the blue-grey twilight we watched streams gleam like strips of metal, and spotted a single stag poised at the edge of a wood, before the train made a long stop at the Styrian city of Leoben, at which point we turned in. Like the mini cabins, the compartment was still too cold, the pillow still too flat, but the berths were wider and the huge window a blessing compared with the single berths' portholes – this one allowed for wistful gazing. Shoving a rolled-up jumper under my head, I fell asleep, waking at 7am to rumpled clouds and a golden flare on the horizon. Most night trains terminate soon after passengers have woken up, but this one was perfect, allowing us to enjoy a leisurely breakfast of hot chocolate and jam rolls while watching the Tuscan dawn breaking into song, and Umbrian lakes and cornfields running parallel before we finally drew into Rome – on time. When travelling alone I relish arriving with the entire day at my disposal, but with children it's hard work waiting until 3pm to check in to accommodation, so I default to staying at a Hoxton hotel if one is available. Its Flexy Time policy allows guests to choose what time they check in and out for free, and by 11am we had checked in, showered and set off to toss coins in the Trevi fountain, finding thick whorls of eggy carbonara at nearby trattoria Maccheroni, and gelato at Don Nino. To avoid the crowds and heat, we waited until 6pm to hire an electric pedal car from Bici Pincio at the Villa Borghese and drove around the landscaped, leafy grounds, relishing the quietness of the evening ride. Excited about the next adventure in Florence, the girls had only one complaint: that they couldn't ride there on the night train. Monisha Rajesh is the author of Moonlight Express: Around the World by Night Train (Bloomsbury, £22), published on 28 August and available on pre-order at Omio provided travel in a four-person private compartment in a couchette carriage from Vienna to Rome (from £357). Accommodation was provided by Superbude Wien Prater in Vienna (doubles from €89 room-only); and The Hoxton in Rome (doubles from €189 room-only)
