The Best Destinations to Explore by Rail

• High-Speed and Vintage Luxury: Experience the contrast between Italy’s ultra-modern Frecciarossa and South Africa’s nostalgically elegant Rovos Rail.

• Mountain and Canyon Frontiers: Explore the rugged terrains of the Bergen Railway and the American West’s Canyon Spirit for unparalleled natural beauty.

• The Ultimate Travel Trio: Learn how combining rail, cruise, and city stays creates a seamless and deeply immersive travel experience.

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As much as we love the view from a balcony stateroom, even the most dedicated cruiser has to admit that some landscapes are best seen from the land.

A rail cruise and stay holiday allows you to delve deep into the heart of a continent before or after you sail around its edges, providing a perspective on the interior that no porthole can capture.

From snow-capped Nordic peaks to the red rocks of the American West, these rail journeys offer a breathtaking look at the world’s interior.

Here is everything you need to know about the best destinations to visit and what to expect when you get there.

Norway and the Bergen Railway

Norway is a land defined by its vertical drama, where sheer mountains fall away into deep, ink-blue water.

To truly understand the Norwegian spirit, you have to venture beyond the coast and into the high-altitude wilderness that separates the urban sophistication of Oslo from the historic maritime charm of Bergen.

The Bergen Railway is the lifeline that connects these two distinct worlds, frequently cited as one of the most beautiful journeys on the planet.

As you depart Oslo, the forests give way to the Hardangervidda, Northern Europe’s highest mountain plateau. From your seat, you will witness a hauntingly beautiful arctic tundra where wild reindeer roam and frozen lakes glitter even in the height of summer.

The descent towards the Atlantic is a masterclass in scenery, passing through the remote station of Finse and offering panoramic views of cascading waterfalls before delivering you to the colourful, wooden wharf of the UNESCO-listed Bryggen in Bergen.

Italy and the High-Speed Frecciarossa

Italy remains the world's greatest open-air museum, a country where every hill seems to be topped with a medieval village and every city square holds a masterpiece.

For the cruiser, Italy offers the chance to blend a deep inland cultural tour with the glamour of the Mediterranean coast.

The Frecciarossa, or Red Arrow, is the high-speed link that makes this grand tour possible. You can spend a morning in Florence admiring the David or wandering the Renaissance corridors of the Uffizi before zipping across the Tuscan countryside at 186 mph.

The train provides a front-row seat to the agricultural heartland of the Po Valley and the silver-green olive groves of the south.

Whether you are heading to the bustling port of Civitavecchia near Rome or gliding across the long lagoon causeway into the heart of Venice, the onboard experience is pure Italian luxury, complete with sleek leather interiors and freshly brewed espresso served at your seat.

South Africa and the Rovos Rail

South Africa is often described as a world in one country, offering everything from the high-altitude scrubland of the interior to the lush, world-famous vineyards of the Cape.

It is a destination that demands slow exploration, where the vast scale of the landscape can be properly appreciated.

Rovos Rail provides an experience that mirrors the luxury of the world's most elite cruise ships, acting as a moving five-star hotel. As you traverse the Great Karoo, the landscape is one of silent, shimmering plains and distant blue mountains.

Stopping at the historic diamond-mining hub of Kimberley, you can peer into the Big Hole, the largest hand-dug excavation on earth.

The journey culminates in the Cape Winelands, where the tracks wind through rows of vines heavy with fruit before the iconic silhouette of Table Mountain appears on the horizon.

This is a journey for the senses, where you can watch for giraffes and springbok from an open-air observation deck as the sun sets over the savanna.

American West and the Canyon Spirit

The American Southwest is a landscape of impossible colours and ancient geology. It is a region of towering sandstone arches, hidden river valleys, and vast desert silences that feel entirely disconnected from the modern world.

The Canyon Spirit experience takes you deep into these inaccessible reaches, following the path of the Colorado River through areas where no roads exist.

From the comfort of a glass-domed carriage, you will look up at the sheer walls of Gore Canyon and the jagged, snow-dusted peaks of the Rockies.

The transition from the high-mountain forests of Colorado to the otherworldly red rock formations near Moab, Utah, is one of the most dramatic environmental shifts you can experience.

It is a rugged, wild world of bald eagles and white-water rapids that provides a profound sense of the American frontier before you head west to the Pacific coast.

Switzerland and the Glacier Express

Switzerland is a masterpiece of precision and natural beauty, where the mountains are so perfectly formed they barely seem real.

The high-altitude resorts of Zermatt and St. Moritz are the crown jewels of the Alps, offering a lifestyle of refined luxury amidst the clouds.

The Glacier Express is the legendary link between these two resorts, famously known as the world’s slowest express train, to ensure you don’t miss a single highlight.

The journey is an architectural and natural marvel, crossing the Landwasser Viaduct—a 65-metre-high curved bridge that leads directly into a cliff face.

You will see the Rhine Gorge, often called the Grand Canyon of Switzerland, and climb over the Oberalp Pass at more than 2,000 metres above sea level.

With panoramic windows that wrap into the ceiling, the train offers a continuous view of glaciers and flower-filled meadows, perfectly positioning you for a subsequent river cruise through the heart of Europe.

Canada and the Rocky Mountaineer

The Canadian Rockies represent one of the last great wildernesses, a land of gargantuan peaks, turquoise glacial lakes, and dense forests where the wildlife still outnumbers the people.

For those heading to the coast to sail the Alaskan glaciers, the interior of British Columbia and Alberta is the essential first chapter of the story.

The Rocky Mountaineer is designed specifically to showcase this scenery, only travelling during daylight hours so the view is never lost to the dark.

You will experience the engineering genius of the Spiral Tunnels, looping inside the mountains to gain elevation, and witness the thundering waters of Hell’s Gate in the Fraser Canyon.

Onboard storytellers bring the history of the gold rush and the Last Spike to life as you pass under the shadow of Mount Robson, the highest peak in the range.

It is a premier wildlife-watching opportunity, with passengers frequently spotting elk, bighorn sheep, and grizzly bears from the comfort of their bi-level glass-domed coaches.

Japan and the Shinkansen

Japan is a land of sensory overload and profound serenity, where 21st-century technology lives in perfect harmony with centuries-old traditions.

For the traveller, it offers a unique duality: the neon-drenched energy of Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing and the quiet, moss-covered paths of Kyoto’s ancient forest shrines.

It is a destination that feels both futuristic and timeless, making it one of the most rewarding regions to explore before or after a cruise.

The Shinkansen, or Bullet Train, is the quintessential Japanese experience and the most efficient way to navigate the country’s main island.

Reaching speeds of up to 200 mph, the train is a masterclass in precision and comfort. As you glide away from the urban sprawl of Tokyo, the landscape opens up into a tapestry of emerald-green rice paddies and misty mountain ranges.

The undisputed highlight of the Tokaido line is the view of Mount Fuji; on a clear day, the iconic snow-capped cone appears like a picture-postcard vision against the blue sky.

Onboard, the experience is defined by quiet hospitality and the tradition of the ekiben - beautifully arranged bento boxes that allow you to taste local regional flavours as you zip across the country towards the historic temples of Kyoto or the vibrant food scene in Osaka.

The Magic of a Rail Cruise and Stay Holiday

Combining these modes of transport offers the ultimate slow travel experience. A rail cruise and stay itinerary gives you the best of both worlds: the unpack-once luxury of a cruise ship paired with the deep, immersive exploration of a continent's interior.

It turns a standard holiday into a multi-layered adventure, allowing you to settle into a city for a few days, traverse spectacular landscapes by track, and then find your sea legs for the final leg of the journey.

While modern ships are full of high-tech marvels, the rhythmic click-clack of a train reminds us that the scenery between ports is often just as breathtaking as the destinations themselves.