No one ever said that flying was romantic. Cheap – maybe. Convenient – usually. Fast – certainly. But for sheer old-fashioned romance, not even cheap flights are a substitute for a railway journey. And what better way to see the world than through 
the carriage window, as the sights and sounds of a foreign country pass by your very eyes!
For incurable romantics, the first name that springs to mind is the Orient Express. This legendary long-distance service commenced in 1883 and transported its passengers from Paris to Constantinople (Istanbul) via Munich, Vienna, Budapest and Belgrade. The route and rolling stock changed many times until 2009, when the service officially disappeared from the timetable. But you can still enjoy the luxury, intrigue and sense of adventure of those 19th-century pioneers by taking a ride on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express, which uses original carriages from the 1920s and 30s and runs from London to Venice and other destinations, including the original Paris-Istanbul route. The famous dining car which features in the film Murder on the Orient Express can be admired in the OSE Railway Museum in Thessalonica, Greece.
If nail-biting thrills are more your thing, you’ll find it hard to resist the lure of the aptly named Death Railway, which originally ran from Burma to Thailand. Built largely by prisoners of war during World War II, many of whom died in its construction, the route cuts a swathe through hilly, impenetrable terrain criss-crossed with many rivers, including the notorious Hellfire Pass. The most famous part of the route is Bridge 277, the Bridge over the River Kwai, immortalised in the film by David Lean. Sadly it is no longer possible to travel the complete 258-mile railway, but around 80 miles of track are still in use and have become a popular attraction for tourists who want to try out a different form of transport after their flights to Bangkok.
Closer to home, rail travel is part of our national heritage, stretching all the way back to the golden age of steam which brought the great cities of the United Kingdom together in a transport revolution like no other. And two of the most iconic of all steam trains must be the Royal Scot, which puffed its way up the West Coast main line from London to Glasgow, and the Flying Scotsman, which travelled the East Coast route to Edinburgh. Today you can enjoy discovering Scotland on board their successor, the Royal Scotsman, a luxury charter train featuring an open-deck observation carriage from which you can enjoy the finest views of the glorious Highlands. Various routes and packages are available, from 2 to 7 nights, and you could even start your break with an overnight stay in Scotland’s historic capital to sample some of its fabled hospitality. With a wide choice of hotels in Edinburgh, it’s never been easier to find something for all tastes and budgets.
The American railroad is the stuff of legend and offers many different and unusual ways to explore this vast country. For example, high-rollers on flights to Las Vegas can exchange the bright lights for one of the wonders of the natural world and celebrate their winnings (or drown their sorrows) by taking the train to the Grand Canyon. This historic passenger railroad has been running between Williams, Arizona and Grand Canyon National Park since 1901 and now operates a daily round trip starting from the restored Santa Fe Railway Station and skirting the south rim of the park.
So whether your next holiday itinerary starts with flights to Thailand or a short hop to your local hub, think ‘train’ instead of ‘plane’ and a whole new range of travel possibilities suddenly opens up!
Jason Casey is a professional content writer and website SEO Expert . He has been involved in content writing since last five years and his areas of interest are Web Design, Internet Marketing, Technology and Travel writing etc.