Ride along the Rails

Longest Railways

1. Trans-Siberian Railway:

This is the longest railway in the world and spans 5,772 miles (9,289 kilometers). To put this into perpsective, you could start in the east coast of America, go to the west coast, and come back to the east with about 100 miles left. It starts in Moscow and ends Vladivostok and took 25 years to make, starting in 1891 and ended in 1916.

Steam train riding the rails of the Trans-Siberian Railway.

2. Beijing-Moscow Railway:

The beginning and end points are (you'll never guess) Beijing and Moscow. With a length of 4,735 miles (7620 km), this line spans four counrties. Those countries are China, Russia, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. This one is also quite sceneic. Such scenes are the Gobi Desert, the Great Wall of China, and the Altai Mountains.

Desiel train on the Beijing-Moscow Railway

3. The Toronto-Vancouver Train:

This route starts at Toronto and finishes at Vancouver (no way). The Toronto-Vancouver Train covers 2,740 miles (4409 km) and goes over multiple different attractions. Those attractions are Banff, Jasper National Parks, Canadian Shield, the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific Ocean.

Desiel train on the Toronto-Vancouver Railway.

4. The Indian Pacific:

Despite the name being "Indian Pacific", the railroad is located in Australia. It's named this because it goes from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and vise versa. The railroad begins in Sydney and ends in Perth. It is 2704 miles (4352 km) long and spans across the Outback, the Nullarbor Plain,the Blue Mountains, other mountain ranges, arid deserts, etc.

Desiel train on the Indian Pacific Railway.

5. Shanghai-Lhasa Railway:

This line start at Shanghai and ends in Lhasa (these guys are not creative with naming railroads). On top of being one of the longest, it's also one of the highest railways in the world. At a length of 2,666 miles (4373 km) and the highest altitude of 16,640 feet (5,072 meters), there is plenty beautiful landscape.

Desiel train on the Shanghai-Lhasa Railway.

6. California Zephyr:

Planted in America, this train starts at Chicago and ends in San Francisco. This railroad is 2,438 miles (3923 km) long and passes through multiple states. Those states are Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and California. Despite what you may think this line is actually longer than the Tran-Continental Railroad by about 500 miles.

7. The Ghan:

Going back to Australia now, The Ghan starts at Adelaide and stops at Darwin. The length of track is 1,851 miles (2979 km). Fun fact this year (2024) is the 95th annaversery of this railway. On this expedition, expect to see the Outback, the Nullarbor Plain, and the MacDonnell Ranges.

8. The Maharajas' Express:

The Maharajas Express is located in India and begins at Mumbai and ends at Delhi. This line is the youngest out of the railways mentioned; recently being made in 2010. This excursion is 1,692 miles (3,285 km) and explores India's rich culture and wonderous destinations like the Taj Mahal.

9. Eastern and Oriental Express:

This express is most certainly one of the most lavish expeditions to take. On top of that, it crosses two nations those being Singapore and Thailand. It is 1262 miles (2031) long and you will see wonderful scenery. The most notable would be the jungles of Malaysia, the temples of Angkor Wat, and the beaches of Phuket.

Desiel train on the Eastern and Oriental Express.

10. The Blue Train:

Much like the Eastern and Oriental Express, this train excursion is also quite the luxury. This train also jumped to switch to diesel quicker than most other railways. It begins in Pretoria and ends in Cape Town. It spans 994 miles (1,600 km) and has such views as the Drakensberg Mountains and the plains of Karoo.