Just the ticket: The best new rail journeys around the world

Europe’s renewed affair with long-distance train routes continues apace, and this time the destinations being linked are popular big cities: Paris and Berlin. It was in December last year that the French and German capitals were connected, with great acclaim, by sleeper train for the first time in nine years. The next step will be the start of direct high-speed daytime services between the two cities. Commencing in December with one service a day via Frankfurt, the journey will take about eight hours. A second service is planned for late 2025, heading via Strasbourg. See sncf-connect.com, int.bahn.de

Austria’s new Railjet trains

Austrian Federal Railways (OBB) never likes to let the grass grow under its tracks; having revived the European sleeper train from near-death, it’s now improving daytime rail experiences. Its streamlined new-generation Railjet trains have recently entered service, replacing tired EuroCity carriages on journeys between Munich, Germany, and Verona, Italy. Decorated in burgundy and grey, the interiors of these new trains are sleek and stylish, with low-floor access and charging options by all seats. There are also mini-lockers for luggage, LED lighting throughout, and air-conditioning regulated via a heat pump system. All trains from Munich to Italy via the Brenner Pass will be new Railjets by 2025. See oebb.at

Amtrak’s Cascades trains, US

An unsung hero of the US’s long-distance train services is Amtrak Cascades. Running from Eugene, Oregon, via Portland and Seattle to Vancouver, British Columbia, the Cascades trains link great cities via beautiful landscapes. In 2026 that scenery will be complemented by the evergreen and mocha livery of eight new train sets and two new locomotives, funded by the Biden administration’s infrastructure funding boost. The new carriages are decked out with comfortable new seats and plenty of passenger amenities (including charging points and Wi-Fi), and there’s a cafe car serving food favourites from the Pacific Northwest, including beer, wine and spirits. See amtrakcascades.com

China’s new sleepers

If you’re catching a long-distance train, the choice often boils down to a high-speed daytime service or a slower night train. But why not combine both? Two high-speed sleeper trains have recently launched, heading from Hong Kong to either Beijing or Shanghai. Both depart the shiny new Hong Kong West Kowloon Station and take 12.5 hours and 11 hours respectively to reach each city, arriving just before 7am. That’s roughly half the duration of the previous sleeper services over those routes. Running four nights a week, these new sleepers are a great environmentally friendly way to cross China. See highspeed.mtr.com.hk

Overnight to Barcelona

The sleeper train renaissance in Europe has been so profound that it’s drawn new operators into the fray. European Sleeper, a Belgian-Dutch company founded in 2021, recently made a splash by extending its initial Brussels-Berlin “Good Night Train” to Prague. It now intends to run an even more ambitious sleeper service from Amsterdam all the way south to Barcelona, Spain. The company hopes to have that train running by 2025, but it could be 2026 pending tricky negotiations for rail access across France. Watch this space. See europeansleeper.eu

East Station, Chongqing, China

Chinese railways are known for their colossal new station buildings, and the new Chongqing East Station in western China fits that description. Its roof will cover 120,000 square metres, punctuated by vast skylights and supported by columns; respectively referencing the mountains and trees of the region. Expected to open in 2025, its platforms will serve high-speed services to such far-flung destinations as Hunan, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Kunming. As the station will also be linked to Chongqing’s local metro system, it should be a highly useful as well as a decorative facility. See china-railway.com.cn

Canada’s new long-distance trains

The railway which runs from Windsor, Ontario, to Quebec City has long been the backbone of Canada’s passenger train service, including as it does the metropolises of Toronto and Montreal. Over the next year, by the northern summer of 2025, VIA Rail’s entire fleet on this route will be replaced by new trains. The new carriages include ergonomically redesigned seating, big windows for scenic viewing, and a host of accessibility features. Business class is also worth a look, as it comes with a range of perks including wider seats, station lounges, and priority boarding. See viarail.ca

Western Balkans reconnect to Europe

The post-pandemic era has been tough on international trains to Serbia and its neighbours, with many services such as Zagreb-Belgrade yet to return. However, as rail expert website The Man in Seat 61 points out, the long-closed mainline from Budapest, Hungary, to Belgrade, Serbia, should reopen soon after a massive six-year-long project to upgrade speeds on both sides of the border. Work on the Serbian side was finished this year, and the Hungarian section should be completed by late 2025 or early 2026. With top speeds raised along the entire route, passengers can expect impressively reduced journey times. See seat61.com