The World's Most Iconic Train Journeys

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tobi Oluwole, a 30-year-old former sales manager at a Big Tech firm who recently relocated to France. His former employer is known to Business Insider but is not named for confidentiality. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

A Marseille neighbourhood has been crowned the “coolest in the world” in Time Out magazine’s annual ranking.

Oct 2, 2024 • 7 min read

Read more about the winners for the best airports in the US here.

Every year, Condé Nast Traveler readers weigh in on their favorite hotels, airlines, cruises, islands, and more in our annual Readers’ Choice Awards. Luggage is also among the categories you voted on this year, applauding the brands you trust the most for durable, practical suitcase and bags. After all, no matter the trip—be it a safari, cruise, city escape, or weekend in the woods—you need something to carry your belongings. And for many of us, that same carry-on, duffel bag, or backpack becomes our trusty travel companion for years at a time. Below, find your fellow readers’ favorite luggage brands, plus a few of each brand’s most popular pieces of luggage, should you be looking to add a new roomy weekender or sturdy suitcase to your collection.

In 2019, while on a trip to Marrakech in Morocco, Gary He, a Brooklyn-based photojournalist, received an unexpected surprise with his regular McDonald's order.

I love visiting kitschy or unique tourist landmarks on a road trip or weekend getaway. In fact, after visiting all 50 states solo, I've enjoyed my short visits to nearly all the major tourist attractions in the United States.

Low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines is the most likely to bump passengers, far surpassing other major airlines in the United States. 

There are two types of train trip: The long, slow, and often luxurious train journey that takes you through beautiful scenery that you book specifically to spend time on the rails; and the speedy, no-nonsense, cheap train ride you take to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. In the first category, you’ll find grand trips like Australia’s The Ghan, South Africa’s Blue Train, and Britain’s Caledonian Sleeper. In the second, there are trips from London to Brussels in just two hours, from Rome to Venice in four hours, and from Miami to Orlando in three hours. And if you’re a train traveler who belongs to the second category and likes getting places fast without flying, there are plenty of trains in this world that do just that at speeds previously unimaginable on land, including the fastest train in the world and its closest competitors.

Japan’s train travel opportunities are not limited to the bullet trains, AKA the Shinkansen. While the country is at the forefront of high-speed train technology (Japan holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest Maglev train in the world, which can reach a top speed of 374.68 mph), it also knows how to create extremely luxurious rail travel experiences.

In the mountains of Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, lies Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) with a history that stretches back over 1,300 years. Founded in 705 AD, the hotel is recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest hotel in the world.

While the Maharajas’ Express is often considered as India’s most luxurious train, it’s certainly not the only high-end option for rail travel in the country. The lesser-known Palace on Wheels, operating since 1982, is a train that runs seven-night, eight-day trips in the state of Rajasthan in very opulent fashion.