Spectacular trains through world's landscapes
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, July 24, 2014
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A train travels on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. — Wang Wei |
Put down your smart phones, and look out the windows — sometimes the best part of a journey is the journey itself.
After an 11-day, six-country rail route was launched this month by the Shanghai Railway Bureau, travelers are increasingly enthusiastic about climbing aboard for short or long trips.
When it comes to luxury train travel, finding the fastest route between two points is not the goal. It is more about reclining your seats and savoring the experience.
The following train trips are captivating journeys across cultures, such as a two-hour excursion from the Alps to the Italian city of Tinaro, and a two-day journey through Australia.
In this week's travel issue, Shanghai Daily picks 10 of the world's great train routes:
• New Orient Express
The Shanghai Railway Bureau now offers 80 new routes, including an 11-day, six-country package. The ground tour passes through Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Austria.
Travelers who sign up will fly to Istanbul and stay for two days, and the package will include a 2-hour visit to Blue Mosque (the Sultan Ahmed Mosque) with vivid blue tiles on the exterior.
Passengers start the journey on the night of the second day. The express passes through the Bosporus Strait and heads to Sofia, Bulgaria. There, visitors can explore Boyana Church, a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church on the outskirts of Sofia. It's on UNESCO's World Heritage list.
The express also stops in Budapest, Hungary, where travelers visit famous Visegrád Castle overlooking the Danube and enjoy lunch, featuring local delicacies. And it's free-flow wine.
The journey ends in Vienna, Austria, where travelers will visit Schoenbrunn Palace, a former imperial summer residence.
The package includes a four-night stay on the express that has hotel-standard accommodation. Each air-conditioned suite can accommodate two guests, and it has a minibar. Each carriage has a bathroom, kitchen and several attendants.
The express can carry 97 passengers and usually has three guides.
The ticket covers visas, flights, tourist attractions and accommodations.
The tour is the first transnational cooperation between Shanghai Railway and the Turkish State Railway.
Route: Shanghai, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Austria
Duration: 11 days
Tickets: 32,300-33,300 yuan (US$5,209-5,371)
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