This is the great train journey you\u2019ve probably seen on your favourite travel blogger\u2019s feed \u2013 you know, the obligatory snap hanging out of the window against an epic green backdrop? The Kandy to Ella route is firmly on the backpacker trail<\/a>, but that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not still an authentic experience, as hundreds of locals squeeze on to every journey. And trust us, it is a squeeze \u2013 but that\u2019s all part of the fun! Prepare to be wowed with views of emerald hills, tea plantations, gushing streams and rural villages. If you haven\u2019t reserved a seat, we\u2019d recommend getting on last to score a spot near the doors to dangle out your feet and pose for that<\/em> photo. What\u2019s even better is that the towns at either end of this gloriously green route are certified traveller favourites. Kandy is Sri Lanka\u2019s cultural capital that\u2019s packed with impressive Buddhist shrines, colonial architecture and delicious dosas, while Ella is a misty, spiritual village in the hills that\u2019s surrounded by hiking trails and must-visit spots, including Little Adam\u2019s Peak and Nine Arch Bridge.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@travel_with_us_blog<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Where backpackers go, awesome hostels<\/a> follow, and Sri Lanka has them in shedloads. Jay\u2019s Bunks-Kandy Hostel<\/a> is a cosy spot with a rooftop bar and hangout area that hosts Sri Lankan family dinners for guests to get to know one another and the local cuisine. In Ella, Hangover Hostels<\/a> offers yoga lessons on their sunny terrace, plenty of social activities and comfy dorms to rest up in after your journey.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t The Tazara is one of the best rail trips you can take across Africa, stretching from Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam to Zambian town Kapiri Mposhi. Don\u2019t expect luxury on this journey, but total adventure. Facilities are basic and the train is slow and bumpy, but for a gritty travel experience and the chance to make real connections with locals, it can\u2019t be beaten. With a first-class ticket (highly recommended unless you want to sit on a bench for 2.5 days), you\u2019ll share a 4-person sleeper carriage with international and domestic travellers who\u2019ll all have their own stories to tell. Bonds are formed over cheap beer in the bar, and the dining carriage is a lively meeting point for people of all ages and cultures. Fascinating scenes unfold outside your window on every leg of the journey, but make sure you\u2019re glued to the views as you past through Tanzania\u2019s Selous Game Reserve. You could spot anything from elephants to giraffes or hyenas!<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@richardstupart<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Whether you start or end your journey in Dar es Salaam, it\u2019s easy to be overwhelmed by this busy city. Our advice? Embrace the chaos by exploring local markets and tucking into street food, then hop on a ferry to the island of Zanzibar if it all gets too much! At the opposite end, Kapiri Mposhi is pretty ordinary, but what awaits you in Zambia certainly isn\u2019t. A visit to the magnificent Victoria Falls, or a peaceful sunset cruise along the Zambezi River, are travel highlights you\u2019ll never forget.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@walkwithmswalker<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n In Dar es Salaam, The Slow Leopard Hostel<\/a> is the city\u2019s best backpacker bar\/burger joint, with comfy bunks that you\u2019ll appreciate before or after a 52-hour train ride! Sleepy Kapiri Mposhi doesn\u2019t have any hostels yet, but stay at Victoria Falls Backpackers<\/a> if pool parties, a climbing wall and adorable pet kittens are your kinda thing.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t Now for the undisputed king of great train journeys. The Trans-Siberian is an absolute beast of a railway, stretching from the Russian capital Moscow<\/a> to hipster Vladivostok in the Far East. On this mammoth adventure you\u2019ll travel thousands of miles, cross mega cities and countryside villages and pass through five different time zones! If you want a real Russian experience that involves visiting lesser known destinations<\/a> and sharing vodka shots with locals along the way, look no further.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@bormot<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Unless staring out of a train window for seven days straight is your idea of fun, you\u2019re gonna want to plan some stops. The possibilities are endless in the world\u2019s biggest country! Spend a nice chunk of time exploring the fairytale cathedrals and swanky nightlife<\/a> in Moscow, and don\u2019t get on that train before you\u2019ve caught a ballet show. St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, jam-packed with historic sites like the regal Winter Palace and the Mariinksy Theater. Less famous spots will turn out to be highlights, like Kazan, a city of intricately detailed mosques and markets that haven\u2019t changed in decades. Vladivostok is a trendy port city with a booming underground nightlife scene, and no one should miss Siberia\u2019s Lake Baikal, an ancient lake that was formed 30 million years ago!<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@okhairani<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n You\u2019ll discover awesome hostels at every stop on your Trans-Siberian adventure. There are heaps of hostels in Moscow<\/a>, like the centrally located Good Mood Hostel<\/a> that\u2019s got a kitschy, colourful design and a lively atmosphere that\u2019s perfect for solo travellers. In St. Petersburg, Soul Kitchen<\/a> is a truly special hostel with a family feel, amazing facilities and gorgeous river views. At Lake Baikal, Belka Hostel<\/a> is an eco-friendly lodge with a Russian banya (sauna) to warm up from the Siberian chill!<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t This train isn\u2019t famous from Instagram, but from your childhood memories. Yep, that steam train you see chugging across Scotland\u2019s Glenfinnan Viaduct is the same one that took Harry, Ron and Hermione from the muggle world to Hogwarts \u2013 you\u2019ll recognise the iconic 21 arched bridge from many a magical moment. Potterheads rejoice, because you can ride this rail in real life! Starting from the town of Fort William, The Jacobite travels past Britain\u2019s highest mountain, deepest loch and shortest river, before arriving in the quaint town of Mallaig, where you can grab home-cooked haggis, neeps and tatties in a traditional Scottish pub.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@alwinkroon<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Both ends of the Jacobite line offer up adventure, with Fort William being the gateway to Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK, which you can hike in around eight hours for the best views of the Scottish Highlands. If you don\u2019t want to return from Mallaig on the Jacobite, you can hop on a ferry and reach the surreal scenery of the Isle of Skye in 30 minutes!<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@krisjanis<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Before embarking on one of the UK\u2019s best train journeys, stop over in Fort William at Chase the Wild Goose Hostel<\/a>. It\u2019s a cosy, family-run joint with views of Ben Nevis and a sociable atmosphere, surrounded by cafes and pubs.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t While Brazil is frustratingly not connected by train (those 35-hour bus journeys aren\u2019t glamorous), it does have an ace up its sleeve that most backpackers<\/a> don\u2019t know about. The Serra Verde Express descends 900 metres down the mountains from the city of Curitiba to the town of Morretes in Paran\u00e1, surrounded by tropical forest that breaks to reveal the Atlantic Ocean in the distance. The train cruises down at a slow place, so you\u2019ll have plenty of time to admire Mother Nature, crack open a beer and capture some spectacular snaps. The left side of the train offers the best views, but as seats are assigned randomly you\u2019ll have to pray to the ticket gods for your fate!<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@julys_correa<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Curitiba, the Serra Verde Express\u2019 starting point, is a modern, urban metropolis that\u2019s all about experiences, not famous attractions. It\u2019s a green city with lively local nightlife, especially in Plaza de Armas where the party happens outside to the sound of buskers. Morretes isn\u2019t exactly a must-visit, but the pretty colonial buildings and riverside promenades are enough entertainment for a few hours before heading back up the Serra do Mar.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@aakemiy<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Curitiba is all about eco-living, so stay in a hostel to match. O Bosque Hostel<\/a> is built totally from sustainable materials, right down to its bamboo bunk beds. It\u2019s got relaxing gardens full of greenery and its own peaceful coffee shop and caf\u00e9 for guests to chill out with a book or tap away at a laptop. It\u2019s so zen that it\u2019s hard to believe it\u2019s right in the city centre!<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t This extraordinary railway spans hundreds of miles across the Peruvian Andes, so expect seriously special landscapes. We\u2019re talking massive mountains, never-ending rivers and green as far as the eye can see. And obviously plenty of llamas \u2013 this is Peru after all! You\u2019ll pass indigenous communities and lost villages, and be greeted at station stops by local vendors selling their handicrafts. The train itself is pretty special too, with classic 1920s style carriages, live local music at the start of your journey and fancy AF meals included in the price!<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@causeimluap<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n As if this wasn\u2019t already one of the world\u2019s best train journeys, it\u2019s made even more dreamy by the fact that the destinations at each end are on every backpacker\u2019s wishlist<\/a>. Puno sits on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the world\u2019s highest navigable lake and an incredibly spiritual place that locals believe to be the birthplace of the sun. Cusco needs no introduction, but we\u2019ll give it one anyway. The gateway to the absolutely unmissable Inca citadel Machu Picchu, Cusco<\/a> is lined with cobbled streets and colonial architecture. It\u2019s packed with healthy, local restaurants and chilled bars perfect for preparing for the trek of a lifetime!<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@jeison<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n You\u2019ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to hostels in Cusco<\/a>, but if you\u2019re after a nice balance between chill and party, Ecopackers<\/a> is a solid option. It\u2019s got a sunny courtyard with ping pong tables and hammocks, a bar and a busy weekly schedule of events and activities. Puno hostels<\/a> are simple but homely, with Bothy Backpacker Hostel<\/a> offering free breakfast and views of Titicaca.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@_alyssarae_<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t Switzerland is famous for its landscapes that look too good to be true, so it shouldn\u2019t come as a surprise that it\u2019s home to one of Europe\u2019s best train journeys. Passengers aboard the Bernina Express are transported from snowy peaks to the sunny Med in a matter of hours, taking in greener-than-green hills, dense forest, bright blue lakes and fairytale villages along the way. The trains run along the spectacular Albula Railway, a track so narrow it can feel like you\u2019re flying \u2013 especially when some points are over 200 feet high! Expect plenty of twists and turns as the route soars over valleys and tunnels through mountains, crossing almost 200 bridges along the way.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@cuntrada<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The adventure starts in Chur, an Alpine city towered over by mountains. It\u2019s got a pretty Old Town, full of boutique shops and cafes to enjoy a Swiss hot chocolate and\/or eat your bodyweight in fondue. The end of the line is just across the Italian border in Tirano, a quiet town that\u2019s an hour and a half\u2019s bus ride to the shores of stylish Lake Como, a worthy stop on any European summer itinerary!<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@ericgerhardy<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Close to Chur, YouthHostel St. Moritz<\/a> has a sociable games area with pool tables, ping pong and retro pinball machines, plus cheap family dinners and a bar full of backpackers hanging out before they board the Bernina.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t Often described as the \u2018railway to heaven\u2019, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the highest train route in the world, reaching dizzying altitudes of 5,000 metres. It opened in 2006, connecting isolated Tibet to the rest of China, and making this journey still feels like stepping into the unknown. Expect views of remote, undisturbed nature \u2013 from the empty, golden plains of the Gobi Desert, to antelope and yak grazing the Kekexili Nature Reserve and the still waters of Tibet\u2019s sacred Lake Namtso. Things start to get icy when the train reaches Tanggula, the highest railway station on earth, flanked by magnificent mountains covered in snow year-round and a mega glacier. The altitude is so extreme here that the oxygen levels drop by 60% – the train is equipped with a pressurised oxygen system to keep passengers from passing out!<\/p>\n To visit Tibet you\u2019ll have to enter on a pre-arranged group tour, but jump through all the hoops required to get a visa and you\u2019ll be one of the lucky few travellers who get to explore this mysterious, spiritual region. The railway ends in capital Lhasa, a centre of Buddhism that\u2019s home to incredible temples and ancient traditions. The people you\u2019ll meet here are curious and welcoming and the atmosphere is serene, a total contrast to the bright lights of China\u2019s biggest cities. At the other end of the railway is Xining, the capital of China\u2019s Qinghai province where Muslim, Tibetan and Han traditions collide, creating a mixture of cuisine, architecture and cultures.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf7\u00a0@nelmin<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Hehung Hostel<\/a> is a colourful spot in downtown Xining with heaps of social space, like a cosy pub and a bar full of books in the attic! They serve up local food and organise group events, so it\u2019s ideal for solo travellers. We don\u2019t have hostels in Tibet just yet, but accommodation will be sorted out by your tour provider.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n Exploring the world by train offers out-of-this-world views, intimate local experiences, travel flexibility and bargain prices. It\u2019s official, flying is so last year! We want to hear about the best train journeys you\u2019ve taken, especially if you\u2019ve got an amazing story from one of our favourite routes. Let us know in the comments!<\/p>\n \ud83c\udf1f\u00a021 eco-friendly hostels perfect for the sustainable traveller<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n \ud83c\udf1f\u00a0The sustainable packing list every traveller needs<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n![\"best](\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Best-train-journeys-@travel_with_us_blog-Sri-Lanka.jpg\")
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2. Tazara Train \u2013 Tanzania – Zambia <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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3. Trans-Siberian Railway \u2013 Russia <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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4. The Jacobite (AKA Hogwarts Express) \u2013 Scotland <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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5. Serra Verde Express \u2013 Brazil <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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6. Cusco to Puno \u2013 Peru <\/strong><\/h2>\n
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7. Bernina Express \u2013 Switzerland<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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8. Qinghai-Tibet Railway \u2013 Tibet – China<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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To find the best hostels at every step of your journey, download the Hostelworld app!<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nKeep reading:\u00a0\u2b07\ufe0f<\/h2>\n