Ride the Rail Collection: 60 joyful train journeys

It’s time to go loco-motive thanks to our all new travel option, the Rail Collection. Featuring iconic rail journeys and lesser-known routes, our 60-trip-strong collection celebrates the journey being just as rich as the destination. Every small group trip is a gateway to cultural immersion, fosters connection with local people, and lets travellers travel flexibly and responsibly. Here’s everything you’ll need to choo-choo-choose your favourite including six Rail Collection suggestions to whet your train whistle. Toot toot!

Who are these train journeys for?

Our diverse new collection includes trips across all our travel styles, from Solo-ish to Geluxe, meaning every type and budget of traveller can enjoy the eye-opening adventure of train travel, on a journey that combines spontaneous encounters and stress-free transport logistics. Instead of rushed airport transits and flights that bypass local life on the ground, every rail journey is a focal point and unforgettable part of the experience.

Where do these rail trips go?

As the name suggests, the majority of every journey is taken by rail, a mode of transport that can prove challenging to coordinate independently in some parts of the world. But we make it easy and stress-free! Imagine rarely seen landscapes and villages viewed from a window seat on a journey through India or Italy, or the unexpected conversations and memories made from sharing a cabin with locals on a night train in Vietnam. Plus, true to all of our trips, every step is pre-planned for you and guided by charismatic Chief Experience Officers (CEOs).

How does my train trip make a difference?

By swapping flights for rail, travellers reduce their carbon footprint, explore more responsibly, and make the most of authentic connections along the way. All train journeys make a positive impact on harder-to-reach local communities with trains stopping at smaller transport hubs and stations. Your group can buy from local sellers and take in daily life in lesser-seen parts of the country.

Which Rail Collection trip do I take first?

Great question! From newly-launched adventures to traveller favourites, you’ve got 60 fantastic Rail Collection trips to choose from around the globe. Read up on just a few of our faves:

1. Track Polish history by rail

From traditional cooking classes to enlightening walking tours, our 10-day Classic journey lets you experience the highlights of Poland, travelling on regional trains from vibrant Warsaw to the ‘Venice of Poland’, Wroclaw and beyond. Poland is a country steeped in history, with intricate medieval and neoclassical architecture and under-appreciated natural beauty. Journeys range from three to almost five hours, leaving plenty of time to gaze out the window at seldom seen parts of the country.

Ride the rails on: Highlights of Poland

2. Depart for Chinese dumplings

Carefully crafted for solo travellers, you’ll catch China’s high speed Bullet Train to whiz from Shanghai to Yangzhou, Xi’an, Luoyang, and Beijing. It’s a true cultural immersion – not just for the dumpling-making classes, strolls around archaeological treasures, and time in the ‘Venice of Shanghai’, but for the mode of transport itself. Travel in smooth comfort at speeds of up to 350km/h and get delicious local meals delivered right to your plush, padded seat.

Ride the rails on: Solo-ish China

3. Bullet to Japan’s back roads

Criss-crossing the country on Japan’s iconic Shinkansen bullet train is just one part of this 11-day Classic adventure. It’s also jam-packed with cultural experiences, taking you off the beaten path and into community homestays in places like Hagi, a quaint farming and fishing town. On the Sea of Japan, there’s a visit to the Tottori Sand Dunes and fish market (home to some of Japan’s best crab!) and a chance to learn the traditional art of "washi" paper making.

Ride the rails on: Back Roads of Japan

4. Push on from Pushkar, India

Geared to budget-conscious 18-to-Thirtysomethings, this train-based journey showcases India's man-made wonders and natural marvels without missing its most famous cities and sights. On the morning train from Delhi to Agra, you’ll take in small towns and arid terrain while tucking into a local breakfast at your seat. On an eight-hour journey from Pushkar, you’ll get fully immersed in local life, watching the comings and goings of passengers on the journey and travelling through countryside to the breathtaking lakes and Raj-era palaces of Udaipur. As for the rest of the trip? Think sunrise hikes, beach time, and fort visits.

Ride the rails on: Uncover India: High Deserts & Markets

5. Noodle your way through Vietnam

Squeeze in almost all of Vietnam, as you make the most of the country’s excellent hostel scene and its famous night trains on a Roamies adventure. Get ready to bed down in a four-berth soft sleeper – a compartment with two compact bunk beds. Aside from the three-night train journeys, you’ll take in night markets, a noodle-making class, historic tunnels of the Vietnam war, and time on palm-lined beaches.

Ride the rails on: Epic Vietnam: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City & Handmade Noodles

6. Fuel up for Italy’s food and wine

Take in the big cities of Rome, Florence, and Venice, while absorbing plenty of Italian countryside and small towns from the comfort of a local train. There’s a chance to taste world-renowned wines in Montepulciano, a tour of Rome through an immigrant’s eyes thanks to Migrantour, a G Adventures-supported social enterprise, and time exploring the canals and backstreets of Venice. Plus, plenty of one euro espressos at train stations to fuel the journey.

Ride the rails on: Highlights of Italy